Preventing Caregiver Burnout: The 10-Minute Caregiver Check-In

Caregivers are often the last ones to notice their own exhaustion. The focus naturally goes to the older adult’s medications, mobility, meals, and mood. But a caregiver’s health is just as essential to the stability of the entire care plan.

A simple 10-minute daily check-in can make the difference between steady, sustainable caregiving and feeling like your entire day is reacting to one crisis after another.

This short practice helps caregivers pause long enough to notice shifting needs—both their own and their loved one’s. It doesn’t require journaling, meditation, or rearranging your schedule. All you need is a quiet moment, morning or evening, to ask yourself a few structured questions:

1. “How is my energy today?”
   Fatigue is one of the earliest signs of overwhelm. Naming it early allows you to adjust expectations and ask for help before exhaustion snowballs. You can rate it on a scale of 0-10 (0=exhausted, 10=energized) and track those numbers over time. You might see important patterns emerge (Mondays are my most exhausted day, or I feel really energized on Mondays).
2. “What was the hardest moment?”
   Identifying strain helps you understand patterns—sundowning, medication refusal, physical lifting, conflict, or emotional triggers. Awareness turns frustration into insight. With insight, you can problem solve with a brain that is less tense and overwhelmed.
3. “What support do I need?”
   This is the most important question. Support doesn’t always mean hiring help; sometimes it’s a conversation, a break, or a small boundary.
4. “How is my loved one changing?”
   Noticing subtle shifts in mobility, appetite, mood, or cognition helps prevent medical crises. Early recognition leads to timely intervention. And recognizing change in your loved one means you can make necessary changes in your own care, routine or schedule.
5. “What went well?”
   Caregiving is demanding, but meaningful moments still happen. Naming them increases resilience and restores a sense of purpose. Even writing down a funny thing your loved one said or did can increase feelings of wellbeing and remind you of the “why” in your caretaking.

In ten minutes, caregivers can catch problems early, reduce emotional overload, and stay connected to their own wellbeing. It’s a simple habit—but over time, it becomes a powerful safeguard against burnout and crisis.