Caregivers are famous for monitoring everyone’s health but their own. This free self-check asks 15 questions about how caregiving is affecting you — your sleep, your health, your relationships, your reserves — and returns a burnout score, the areas under the most strain, and a tier-matched action plan you can actually start this week. It runs entirely in your browser: nothing you answer is saved, sent, or shared.
This is an educational self-check, not a medical or psychological test. It cannot diagnose burnout, depression, or any condition. If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) now.
What this self-check is — and what it isn’t
Every question is original and asks about the past month, because burnout is a trend, not a bad day. This is deliberately not the Zarit Burden Interview or any clinical instrument — those are copyrighted tools used in research and clinical settings. What an honest 3-minute check can do is make the invisible visible: caregivers routinely underestimate their own strain until something breaks, and a written score plus a printed summary makes asking for help concrete instead of vague.
Your answers never leave this page. No account, no email capture, nothing stored.
Why burnout is a medical issue, not a character issue
Family caregivers of people with dementia have higher documented rates of depression, high blood pressure, and immune suppression than non-caregivers of the same age — and caregiver collapse is one of the most common reasons a person with dementia moves into a facility earlier than planned. Protecting the caregiver is protecting the care.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the Zarit caregiver burden test?
No. The Zarit Burden Interview is a copyrighted clinical instrument. This self-check uses entirely original questions and produces an awareness score for your own planning, not a clinical score.
Are my answers private?
Yes. The tool runs entirely in your browser. Answers are never transmitted, stored, or shared, and there is no sign-up.
What is respite care and how do I find it?
Respite is short-term substitute care — from a few hours to a few weeks — provided at home, at an adult day center, or in a facility. The federal Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116, eldercare.acl.gov) connects you to your local Area Agency on Aging, which maintains the list of respite programs in your county.
Does Medicare pay for any of this?
Medicare covers a cognitive assessment and care-planning visit for the person with dementia, which documents caregiver needs. Respite itself is covered by Medicare only within the hospice benefit, but many state programs, the VA, and some Medicare Advantage plans fund respite hours separately.
What score means I should get help?
Don’t wait on a number. If caregiving is costing you sleep, health appointments, or hope, that’s the threshold — the score just helps you say it out loud.
Medical disclaimer: HelpDementia.com provides educational information only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are in crisis or having thoughts of self-harm, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), available 24/7.
The National Family Caregiver Support Program funds free respite, counseling, and training in every U.S. state — access runs through your Area Agency on Aging via the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.