RecallCue and Dayclox Are Great — But If You Have an Old iPad, You Don't Need Either

If you've been searching for a dementia clock, you've probably landed on two names: RecallCue and Dayclox. Both are legitimate, well-reviewed products used by thousands of families. This post isn't here to talk you out of either one.

But before you buy a subscription or order new hardware, it's worth asking: do you already have a tablet sitting around? An old iPad collecting dust? An Android tablet your kids don't use anymore?

If yes — you can set up a full-featured dementia day clock right now, for free.

What RecallCue Does Well

RecallCue is a connected day clock app that turns any iPad or Android tablet into a clock your family can control remotely. From the companion app on your phone, you can:

• Push instant messages to the clock
• Send photos that appear on the display
• Set alarms and reminders remotely
• Make two-way video calls directly through the clock
• Play music on the device
• View real-time weather

Their Pro plan is $9.99/month. There's a free tier that gives you the basic clock display and a few customization options.

RecallCue is a good option when: Family members in different cities need to actively stay connected — pushing daily check-in messages, video calling, and sending photos from their own phones to the clock. It's a communication hub as much as it is an orientation tool.

What Dayclox Does Well

Dayclox is different altogether. They're a UK-based company that sells physical wall clocks — actual hardware you hang on a wall. Their digital day clocks display the day of the week, date, and time of day in large, easy-to-read text.

Prices start around £20–£30 for simpler models and go up from there. There's no app, no subscription, no tablet required. You plug it in, hang it up, and it runs.

Dayclox is a great choice when: You want a "dumb clock" without all the features and convenience of a "smart clock." An old-school, basic wall clock that just works.

What We Built — and Why It Might Already Be Enough

The Citizen Seniors Dementia Day Clock started as a simple answer to a simple question: why does a dementia clock require new hardware or a monthly subscription?

Most families dealing with memory care already have an old iPad somewhere. It might be a 6th-gen model from 2018, an iPad mini that got replaced, or one a kid left behind. That device can become a dedicated, full-time dementia clock — free, today, in about two minutes.

Here's what you get at no cost:

• Large, clear display showing the day of the week, phase of day (MORNING / AFTERNOON / EVENING / NIGHT), the time, and the full date
• Automatic day/night mode — the display adjusts naturally as the day progresses
• Works offline — once set up, the clock runs even when Wi-Fi is down, because all the logic runs locally in the browser
• No app download — open a browser, go to citizenseniors.com/clock, and you're done
• "Add to Home Screen" installs it as a native-feeling app icon on the iPad — tap it and the clock opens full-screen instantly

Family Mode: $9.99, Once

For families who want more, Family Mode is a one-time $9.99 unlock — not a subscription. There are no recurring charges, ever.

Family Mode adds Fully Customizable:

• Personalized greeting — "Good morning, Robert" appears at the top of the clock, every day
• Timed reminder overlays — at 8:00 AM the full screen transitions to "Take your morning pills 💊" with an audible chime, then returns to the clock once dismissed. Set as many reminders as you need.
• Life events / announcements — enter birthdays, anniversaries, and family moments. Every 10 minutes, the clock fades to a warm announcement slide ("Happy Birthday, Ethan! 🎂"), then returns automatically.
• Family photo slideshow — upload photos directly to the device. The clock rotates through them as the background all day.
• 4 calming video backgrounds — sunrise meadow, ocean waves, forest light, or starry night, streamed from Pexels
• PIN-protected setup — so your loved one can enjoy the clock without accidentally changing anything
• Settings export / import — back up all reminders, announcements, and settings to a file. Clearing the browser cache deletes the custom data. Restore in seconds if the device is ever wiped.

All settings are stored privately on the device. Nothing is sent to a server. No account. No cloud.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Which One Is Right for Your Situation?

Use the Citizen Seniors clock if: You have a tablet at home and the primary caregiver is local — setting up reminders and checking in in person. You want zero ongoing cost and complete privacy. Set it up once in five minutes, leave it running.

Use RecallCue if: Adult children are spread across different cities and want to actively send messages, share daily photos, and video call through the clock. The connected features are genuinely powerful for long-distance coordination.

Use Dayclox if: You want a physical wall clock that requires no device, no charging, and no maintenance. Plug it in, hang it up, done. Especially useful in the UK where they ship easily.

Try It Right Now

The free version takes two minutes. Open citizenseniors.com/clock on whatever tablet you have at home, tap "Launch Clock," and see if it fits. If it does, the iPad can stay there permanently. If you want the reminders and personalization, Family Mode is a single $9.99 charge with no strings attached.

No subscription. No new hardware. No account to create.

Just a clock that works.