A Calm, Familiar Day — on a Clock They Can Follow

When someone is living with dementia, the world can feel unpredictable and overwhelming. Familiar routines bring a sense of safety and comfort that words alone cannot provide, which is why dementia care guidance so often recommends a predictable day.

OurTurn was built around this simple truth. Rather than asking your loved one to remember what comes next, OurTurn: My Day shows it: the time, the part of the day, and the next thing in their plan, in large text and calm colours. A favourite walk, lunch with family, the morning medicine reminder — each one appears at its time, and the clock gently says when it is time.

The daily care plan is not about controlling someone's life. It is about creating a gentle framework that helps your loved one feel confident and supported throughout the day, while giving you the peace of mind that comes from knowing they have structure even when you cannot be there.

Every family's situation is different, and OurTurn respects that. Start from one of four gentle ready-made days — ten everyday moments such as breakfast, a short walk, a glass of water and time together — or from an empty day, and change anything you like.

For each activity you choose a time and whether it happens every day or on certain days. You can add simple step-by-step instructions with photos, which your loved one opens with "Show me how" from their list of the day, and a reminder recorded in your own voice. Medicine reminders sit in the same day: you enter the names and times yourself, using the instructions you already have from a healthcare professional.

The plan works from both the web dashboard and the OurTurn Caregiver app, so you can make changes from wherever you are. Every change reaches their clock on its own — edit the plan on your laptop at home, and the clock follows.

One of the most stressful parts of caring for someone with dementia is not knowing how their day is going, especially when you cannot be with them. When your loved one taps Done on an activity, or "Yes, I took it" on a medicine reminder, the family can see it as it happens — if your loved one has chosen to share it.

Your Home screen shows what their clock shows right now, next to today's plan and the times things were confirmed. A confirmation is a tap on a button: it does not verify that a medicine was taken, and a missing tap does not mean something was missed.

This is not about surveillance. It is about connection. Knowing that Mum had her breakfast and took her walk gives you the confidence to focus on your own day, while still feeling close to her care.

When it is time for something, their clock plays a soft chime and shows one clear card. It can read the reminder aloud in the family's language — or play a message you recorded yourself, so the reminder comes in a voice they know. Two big buttons are the only choices: done, or again in 10 minutes.

The family can also send a short note to the clock, with a photo if you like, and it stays on the clock face for the days you choose. A note from a grandchild or a photo from Sunday lunch can turn an ordinary afternoon into a good one.

The plan stays on their device, so the clock keeps showing the day even when the internet drops. Taps made offline are kept on the device and shared once the connection is back, if your loved one shares them. New notes, photos and changes to the plan arrive once it is.