Caregiver Burnout Test

Caregiver burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that builds up when the demands of caring for someone outpace your own rest and support. Common signs include constant fatigue, trouble sleeping, irritability, withdrawing from friends, feeling resentful or guilty, and neglecting your own health. It tends to build quietly, which is why a periodic check-in helps.

It’s a structured self-reflection tool, not a clinical diagnosis. The 12 questions are original wording mapped to the well-established domains measured by validated caregiver-burden research — the Zarit Burden Interview, the Modified Caregiver Strain Index, the Pearlin stress-process model, and the Caregiver Burden Inventory. It gives you an honest read on your strain; it doesn’t replace a conversation with a healthcare provider.

Each of the 12 questions is scored 0 (Never) to 4 (Nearly always), for a total of 0–48. Your total places you in one of four bands — low (0–12), moderate (13–24), high (25–36), or severe (37–48) strain. The first threshold lines up with published screening cut-offs for meaningful caregiver burden.

Use it as a prompt to act early. Each result comes with practical next steps — protecting time off, sharing the load, finding a support group, and guarding your own health — that scale with your level of strain. You can download a PDF of your results and recommendations, and re-take the check every month or so to catch rising strain.