Caregivers often miss their own routine doctor's appointments, eat poorly, and cannot sleep because they're busy caring for a loved one. Caregivers have more overall health problems such as arthritis, insomnia, diabetes, obesity, and weight gain. Caregivers are at greater risk for depressive symptoms, stress, exhaustion, fatigue, reduced well-being, poorer self-rated health, and even higher death rates than non-caregivers.

Caregiver stress is often brought on by the disruption of life and lifestyle, feelings of greater responsibility for another person, as well as guilt and frustration associated with unmet expectations.

Caregivers that place their own physical and emotional needs after their care responsibilities often find themselves feeling frustrated, angry, depressed, or physically ill. Many caregivers cope with the competing demands in their lives at the expense of maintaining their own health and well-being.

Take the Caregiver Health Self-Assessment Tool that was created by physicians at the American Medical Association. Sometimes, caregivers lose sight of their own well-being due to the responsibilities of caregiving. The following questionnaire will help you assess your stress level and health risks. Share the completed questionnaire with your clinical provider.

Caregiver Health Questionnaire