Two different problems
Write down what actually went wrong last week. If the entries look like 'thought it was Sunday' or 'got dressed at 4am', that is orientation, and a clock addresses it directly.
If they look like 'hasn't had a drink all day', 'missed the call with her sister' or 'the bins didn't go out', a clock will not help. Those are moments, and moments need something that arrives.
Side by side
The honest summary is that a clock is cheaper and asks less, and a reminder does something a clock structurally cannot: it turns up, it says something specific, and it can tell you it was answered.
Where families use both
The common setup is a clock on the sideboard for the background question of what day it is, and two or three reminders a day for the things that matter — a drink in the afternoon, a call at four, the routine before bed.
That combination costs very little and covers most of what keeps carers awake. Neither part is trying to be the other.
How our reminders are worded
You write the message. We keep the tone warm and short, send it as a call, a text or a phone alert at the time you choose, and give one button to tap so you can see it was read.
There is no app for your loved one to learn and nothing to charge at their end.
The wider picture
roughly 6 in 10
people with dementia in the UK live in their own home, not in care.
Source: Alzheimer's Society
Side by side
| What matters | Dementia clock | You Care Reminders |
|---|---|---|
| Answers 'what day is it?' | Yes, continuously | Not its job |
| Arrives at a set time | No — waits to be looked at | Yes, at times you choose |
| Says something specific | No | Yes, in your own words |
| Handles weekly things | No | Yes |
| Tells you it was seen | No | Yes, one tap to confirm |
| Cost | One-off, usually £30–£80 | Free plan, paid plans from a few pounds a month |
| Anything to learn | Nothing | Nothing at their end |