Kathy Ritchie/KJZZ Juan Francisco Ramirez used to attend a monthly, in-person support group that was in Spanish. Because of COVID-19, the support group had to pivot to the telephone. It has made it more difficult to connect with fellow caregivers. Part I: Caregivers Struggle To Find Support Over The Phone Your browser does not support the audio element. Before the pandemic, caregiver support groups were a vital lifeline to those providing unpaid care to a loved one with dementia. COVID-19 put a stop to these in-person meetings. Many of these groups turned to Zoom and saw an increase in new members. But others were forced to use the telephone and there’s been a price.