RevenueLab.fyi
Psychology · Free calculator

Caregiver Strain Score Calculator

For anyone caring for an ageing parent, a partner, or a family member with a disability — score the strain across time, finances, health, and emotion.

Short answer

Caregiver Strain Score Calculator

20Caregiver strain score

High-strain caregivers have measurably worse health outcomes than the people they care for. Getting help is not optional maintenance. You scored 20/30 (67% of the maximum), with 10 of 10 items in the upper half. The single highest item was "Caregiving disturbs my sleep" — that is usually the most useful thing to bring up first, because specific examples get better help than a general "I've been off lately."

How it's calculated: 20 out of 30 — high strain range on this scale. Adjust the inputs below to recalculate for your own numbers.

Disclaimer: Educational self-scoring tool only — this is not a diagnosis and not medical advice. Screening questionnaires flag patterns worth discussing; they cannot replace an evaluation by a licensed clinician. If you are struggling, contact a health professional. In the US you can call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) any time.

New here? Watch it work in 2 seconds — then tweak it for you.
2

0 = not at all · 1 = several days · 2 = more than half the days · 3 = nearly every day

2

0 = not at all · 1 = several days · 2 = more than half the days · 3 = nearly every day

2

0 = not at all · 1 = several days · 2 = more than half the days · 3 = nearly every day

2

0 = not at all · 1 = several days · 2 = more than half the days · 3 = nearly every day

2

0 = not at all · 1 = several days · 2 = more than half the days · 3 = nearly every day

2

0 = not at all · 1 = several days · 2 = more than half the days · 3 = nearly every day

2

0 = not at all · 1 = several days · 2 = more than half the days · 3 = nearly every day

2

0 = not at all · 1 = several days · 2 = more than half the days · 3 = nearly every day

2

0 = not at all · 1 = several days · 2 = more than half the days · 3 = nearly every day

2

0 = not at all · 1 = several days · 2 = more than half the days · 3 = nearly every day

Try it like this

Tap a scenario to load realistic numbers, then tweak the sliders.

Related calculators
Parenting stress scoreBurnout scoreLoneliness score
Formula used

How the score is calculated

Ten items scored 0–3 across the domains used in caregiver strain research: sleep disruption, confinement, life adjustment, family conflict, financial strain, physical health, emotional load, anticipatory grief, isolation, and guilt. Summed to 0–30. Isolation and guilt are included because they are the two items that most reliably keep caregivers from asking for the help that would lower every other score.

Total = sum of 10 items (0–3 each) → 0–30 → severity band
Items
10
Per-item range
0–3
Time to complete
About 2 minutes
Score range
0–30
Use this elsewhere

Embed or cite it

Backlink-friendly embed

Embed this calculator

Free to embed on any site. Inputs preserved, link back to RevenueLab. Each format trades polish for SEO juice.

<script async src="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/embed.js"
  data-calculator="caregiver-strain-score-calculator"
  data-title="Caregiver Strain Score Calculator"
  data-query="sleep=2&conf=2&adj=2&fam=2&money=2&health=2&emo=2&grief=2&alone=2&guilt=2"></script>

Recommended — auto-resizes to fit, no scrollbars, and drops a crawlable link in your page.

Cite this calculator

Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.

APA
RevenueLab. (2026). Caregiver Strain Score Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/caregiver-strain-score-calculator
HTML
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/caregiver-strain-score-calculator" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Caregiver Strain Score Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Markdown
Source: [Caregiver Strain Score Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/caregiver-strain-score-calculator) (2026).

Respite is the intervention with the most evidence

Across the caregiving literature, the single most effective lever is scheduled, reliable respite — not one-off help, but a recurring block someone else owns. Caregivers consistently under-use it, and the reported reason is almost always the guilt item on this scale.

Anticipatory grief is real grief

Caring for someone with dementia or a degenerative illness means grieving a person who is still present. It is one of the least-acknowledged parts of the load and it responds to the same support as ordinary bereavement.

FAQ

Is this the Caregiver Strain Index?

No — the CSI is a specific validated instrument. This tool covers similar domains for self-reflection and is not a clinical assessment.

Where do I find respite help?

In the US, start with your local Area Agency on Aging (eldercare.acl.gov, 1-800-677-1116). Most regions have subsidised respite programmes that families do not know exist.

Is it normal to resent the person I care for?

Yes, and it is close to universal at high strain. Resentment tracks the load, not your feelings about the person.

How this calculator is built

Independently maintained

Written by Sam Doshi and the RevenueLab editorial team. We don't sell the data feeds this tool is built on.

Sourced from primary data

Benchmarks come from public AdSense / Stripe / IRS disclosures and reader-submitted data — never third-party "$X per view" claims. Full methodology.

Last editorial review

Reviewed on a rolling quarterly cycle. Dated reviews are published on the methodology record for each calculator.

Editorial standards

See our editorial policy and disclaimer. Results are estimates, not advice.

Helpful?