Social & External
There are 1.8 million people living with dementia in Germany. Unless there is a breakthrough in treatment, this number will rise to 2.8 million by 2050. How can these patients be cared for with dignity? One thing is certain: the problems in care—whether inpatient or outpatient—are growing. The shortcomings of the care system in German-speaking countries have been known for decades and will continue to worsen as a result of demographic change, because our society is getting older and older. The article "The problem of dementia – new approaches to care" shows examples of humane treatment of people in need of care and presents forward-looking models. Based on the personal experiences of those affected and the conceptual differences between alternative care providers, we would like to highlight possible solutions and provide new impetus for the long-overdue reform of elderly care.
About the nurses who used their professional skills to murder the handicapped, mentally ill and infirm at the behest of the Third Reich and directly participated in genocide.
Unconditional: A Journey of Selfless Love explores the love, care, and sacrifices family caregivers give to their loved ones and the many loving choices they have to make. Learn what it means to be committed and loyal to someone no matter the circumstances as highlighted through four caregivers and their journeys.
An audiovisual representation of the degenerative dementia process based on real reports from people affected with this condition.
Having lost her memory, A. could barely recall glimpses of her childhood in Argentina. After her death, her son visits the empty house for the last time. A sensory journey through a house without objects but filled with memory.
Carmen's life has been a quixotic comedy; surviving the war, becoming a nun, getting divorced in a conservative society, and having numerous lovers, always defying the rules. Now, at 86, she is planning her suicide. The film follows her final days, exploring her bond with her adopted son, as well as her journey to face death on her own terms.
Drawing on the book of the same name, League of Denial crafts a searing two-hour indictment of the National Football League’s decades-long concealment of the link between football related head injuries and brain disorders.
Kees suffers from Parkinson's disease. This puts pressure on his relationship with his beloved Carmen. If a cure is not forthcoming, an almost inhuman, devilish dilemma presents itself.
The twenty-seven-year-old protagonist of the film suffers from borderline personality disorder, chronic depression and insomnia. After nine years of intensive treatment with no positive results, she has decided she does not want to live any longer. Because she doesn’t want to traumatize anyone with her death she chooses self-euthanasia. She tells her father and best friends about her death wish to give them the chance to come to terms with her decision and say their goodbyes. We see Sanne in her final weeks, in which she looks forward to the day she will finally find peace. Letting you go is a short documentary about a psychiatric patient’s right to self-determination, the longing for peace and the biggest sacrifice a father can make out of love for his child.
Portrait of the birth of a friendship between two men, while one helps the other to die. The acceptance of pain, the sense of humour and the commitment to family and friends, will accompany the virtual chats between Fernando and Eric, who were unable to meet due to the pandemic.
Hosted by Diane Sawyer, the program offers an intimate look at Bruce Willis’s life following his frontotemporal dementia diagnosis, and the strength and advocacy of his wife, Emma Heming Willis.
Former football player and wrestler Chris Nowinski's quest to publicize recent findings about the often dire consequences of head concussions sustained by athletes in contact sports — injuries that have previously been considered momentary setbacks and ignored in the name of toughness and dedication to the team.
Musician, octogenarian and transgender activist Beverly Glenn-Copeland and his wife navigate the implications of the former’s dementia diagnosis, contemplating high stakes, complex decisions about care and wellbeing while they embark on a mission to preserve his artistic legacy.
Marina Carrère d'Encausse lifts the veil on the intimate questions that preoccupy her as well as society at large: those related to the end of life. The doctor-journalist introduces Antoine, her partner, who is suffering from Charcot's disease, an incurable illness, and who wishes to choose how he ends his life. Is the current law in France sufficient? Should it simply be better enforced, allowing better access to palliative care? Should assisted suicide and euthanasia be legalized? Marina meets with patients concerned about the end of life, caregivers, and politicians in France, as well as in Belgium, Switzerland, and Canada, countries where euthanasia and assisted suicide are legal.
In 2008, celebrated author Sir Terry Pratchett was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Nearly three years on, Pratchett considers ways to end his life before the disease consumes him. His search takes him to Switzerland, where he meets some of the staff and clients of a non-profit organisation that provides assisted suicide to people suffering from severe ailments and terminal illnesses. In a quiet cottage outside Zurich, we—along with Sir Terry—witness a man's final moments with his wife.
Janette is terminally ill and wants to die in a dignified way but this is not permitted under British law. She refuses to wait for death in unbearable pain so she opts for a physician-assisted suicide in Switzerland. Before departing on the final journey she has to explain her intention to the family members and close friends.
