Caregiver stress can be a silent, gradual burden, often building unnoticed until it begins to affect your health, emotional well-being, and ability to provide adequate care. Recognizing the signs of this strain is a crucial first step toward maintaining your resilience and ensuring the sustainability of your caregiving journey.
This simple yet insightful caregiver stress test offers a valuable tool for honest self-assessment, helping you identify your current level of strain and pinpoint specific areas of concern. By taking a moment to evaluate your own experience, you gain the clarity needed to take proactive steps toward self-care, balance, and renewed strength.
Caregiver Stress is a Serious Issue
You’re probably well aware that caregiver stress can have a profound negative impact on your health and ability to care for your older adult.
That’s why managing and reducing stress is so important. It helps you stay healthy so you can continue caregiving.
But we often convince ourselves that we’re less stressed than we really are. That’s why it’s essential to have a way to measure how much stress we’re actually under.
To help with that, we found a quick, helpful quiz from AARP that lets you measure your stress level today and over time.
We explain how the quiz works and how the results help you take action to avoid burning out or developing a stress-related chronic illness.
How Will You Score on AARP’s Quick Caregiver Stress Test?
AARP’s quiz lists 15 common feelings during times of stress.
To take this brief caregiver stress test, assign each feeling a score between 1 and 7. 1 means you never have that feeling, and seven means you always have that feeling.
When you’re done, add all the numbers to get your total stress score. It may be easier to print the page to take the test by hand.
Then, see AARP’s explanation of what your total score means and get recommendations on how to manage your current stress level.
How Does This Quiz Help Caregivers?
This quiz is helpful because it shows where you are on the stress spectrum, how your stress levels change over time, and which stress-management techniques work best for you.
For example, is your stress level at the maximum high score? That might be a wake-up call that your own self-care needs to be a higher priority.
If your stress level is relatively low, monitor it so it doesn’t creep up over time without your noticing.
Use the Quiz to Monitor Your Stress Over Time
Caregiving is a constantly changing situation. That means you’ll experience periods of higher and lower stress.
As a result, we recommend taking this quiz regularly and recording your score, ideally once every 1 or 2 months, as a check-in.
This helps you check in with yourself and monitor your stress levels over time and as your caregiving situation changes.
Rising stress levels are a sign that you might want to consider making some changes. Stable or decreasing stress is a sign that what you’re doing is working for you.
Final Thoughts on the Caregiver Stress Test from AARP
Understanding your caregiver stress test score is not about judging yourself, but about empowering yourself with knowledge. Whatever your result, it serves as a compassionate starting point for making positive changes; whether that involves seeking more support, setting firmer boundaries, or simply acknowledging the weight you carry.
Remember, consistently prioritizing your own well-being is not a luxury; it is an essential component of sustainable, compassionate care. Use this insight as a catalyst to explore resources, connect with others, and implement practical strategies that reduce your burden.
By taking care of yourself, you are ultimately ensuring that you can continue to be the caring, capable caregiver your loved one needs.
Next Steps: Take this quick AARP quiz to find out what your caregiver stress level is
Recommended for you:
- 6 Ways to Make It Easier for Caregivers to Take a Break
- 5 Coping Tips for the Overwhelmed Caregiver
- 18 Self-Compassion Tools for Taking Care of the Caregiver
About the Author
Connie is the founder of DailyCaring.com and was a hands-on caregiver for her grandmother for 20 years. (Grandma made it to 101 years old!) She knows how challenging, overwhelming, and all-consuming caring for an older adult can be. She also understands the importance of support, especially in the form of practical solutions, valuable resources, and self-care tips.
When the going gets tough, the tough.. go Shopping, and believe me, a sense of humor is 1/2 the battle won!
Yes! Finding the humor whenever possible is a great help!
I’m going to assess myself every now and then. Stress is so damaging, you have to manage it. Thanks for sharing!
That’s a wonderful plan, Sue Anne! I’m so glad this is helpful.