Background/Objectives: Family members who provide care play a central but often underestimated role in the healthcare system and are frequently exposed to considerable physical, emotional, and social stress. To better understand and support their needs, a structured self-assessment tool (SSA-PA) was developed. This development addresses the current lack of practical, validated instruments that enable caregivers to systematically reflect on their own stress levels and resources, which is becoming increasingly important in view of the growing demand for care and the risk of caregiver burnout. This tool aims to promote self-reflection, identify individual stresses and resources, and enable more targeted support for family caregivers. Methods: The development process (September–December 2024) followed a multi-phase design that integrated theoretical foundations from nursing, health, and psychology, in particular Orem’s theory of self-care deficit, Lazarus and Folkman’s stress and coping model, and Engel’s biopsychosocial model. Four core dimensions were defined: (1) health and self-care, (2) burden and stress, (3) support and resources, and (4) satisfaction and quality of life. The final tool comprises 37 items (mostly 5-point Likert scales), supplemented by multiple-choice and open-ended questions. Content validity was ensured through expert review and testing with nine family caregivers. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha (α = 0.998), indicating very high reliability, although possible item redundancies were identified. The evaluation took place in January 2025 with 33 family caregivers to assess user-friendliness, relevance, and perceived usefulness. Results: The majority of participants rated the tool as user-friendly and clearly structured. Around 80% reported a high level of comprehensibility, and over half stated that the tool provided new insights into their own health and care burden. Qualitative feedback highlighted the value of the tool for self-reflection and motivation to seek external support. Suggestions for improvement included shorter item formulations, improved visual feedback (e.g., progress bars or charts), and expanded question areas on financial burdens and digital support options. Conclusions: The SSA-PA is a theoretically grounded and user-centered tool for assessing and reflecting on the situation of family caregivers. It not only enables systematic self-assessments but also promotes awareness and proactive coping strategies. Future research should focus on conducting factor analyses to further validate the construct, testing the tool in larger samples, and exploring its integration into structured care consultations to improve the quality of home care.

Background/Objectives: Family caregivers play a central role in the provision of long-term home-based care and often provide unpaid support over extended periods. This role is associated with substantial psychological, physical, social, and financial burden. Despite high support needs, access to psychosocial services remains limited for many family caregivers. Against this background, AI-based care companions are discussed as a potential low-threshold supplement to existing support structures. The objective of this study was to explore subjectively perceived family caregiver burden and to examine expectations, acceptance conditions, and concerns regarding a hypothetical AI-based care companion, rather than to evaluate effectiveness. Methods: An exploratory mixed-methods study was conducted using an anonymous online survey. Perceived family caregiver stress was assessed using self-developed, non-validated ordinal items, including a single-item global burden rating and categorical stress domains. The questionnaire combined closed-ended items (Likert-scale and multiple-choice) with one open-ended question to assess perceived stress, experiences with psychosocial support, and attitudes toward a hypothetical AI care companion. Participants were recruited via an online caregiving course platform. Data collection was voluntary and anonymous and took place in Germany between October and November 2025. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively and exploratorily, and qualitative responses were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Fifty-five family caregivers participated in the survey. Overall, perceived family caregiver burden was high, with psychological stress most frequently identified as the dominant stress domain. Difficulties in accessing psychosocial support were reported by 58% of the respondents. Willingness to consider using an AI-based care companion varied by degree of acceptance: 36% reported clear willingness, 31% expressed conditional or tentative willingness, and 33% indicated reluctance or rejection. The most frequently selected expected functions included emotional support, early detection of overload, and caregiving-related information. Data protection, professional reliability, and concerns regarding incorrect advice were identified as the most relevant perceived risks. Conclusions: The findings reflect family caregivers’ perceived burden and anticipated needs, highlighting persistent gaps in psychosocial support. From the perspective of respondents, a hypothetical AI-based care companion could represent a complementary support option if it provides personalized, non-judgmental, and reliable assistance. These results describe perceived potential and acceptance conditions, not verified efficacy. Further research, including prototype development, usability testing, and pilot studies, is required to examine feasibility, ethical implications, and real-world impact.

Background/Objectives: Family caregivers play a central role in long-term care but are frequently exposed to considerable physical, emotional, and social strain. In Germany, care counseling pursuant to §45 SGB XI aims to identify caregiver burden at an early stage and provide preventive, resource-oriented support. Structured self-assessment tools may facilitate reflective dialogue within time-limited counseling sessions. The Self-Assessment Tool for Family Caregivers (SSA-PA) was developed to support this process; however, empirical evidence regarding its applicability in statutory counseling settings remains limited. This exploratory mixed-methods study aimed to generate empirical insights into (1) the perceived usefulness and acceptance of the SSA-PA among care advisors, (2) opportunities and challenges associated with its practical implementation, and (3) its perceived integration potential within routine counseling practice. Methods: Thirteen care advisors working under §45 SGB XI applied the SSA-PA in routine counseling and subsequently completed a structured online survey combining Likert-scale items and open-ended questions. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively using IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 29), and qualitative responses were examined using thematic analysis. Given the moderate sample size (n = 13), analyses were primarily descriptive and exploratory in nature. Results: Care advisors reported high perceived usefulness and broad acceptance of the SSA-PA as a structuring and reflective instrument in counseling sessions. The tool was described as supportive in facilitating discussion of caregiver burden across multiple life domains and enhancing transparency of stress-related issues. At the same time, participants identified practical challenges, including time constraints, emotional strain for caregivers, technical barriers, and the need for clearer evaluation outputs. Suggestions for further development included automated result processing, individualized recommendations, and longitudinal tracking functions. Conclusions: From the perspective of participating care advisors, the SSA-PA demonstrates promising feasibility and acceptance within statutory preventive counseling under §45 SGB XI. While the findings provide practice-based evidence for its applicability, conclusions regarding effectiveness or outcome improvements cannot be drawn. Further research with larger samples and outcome-oriented designs is required to evaluate its impact on caregiver burden and counseling processes.