A.

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.

Problemfall Demenz - Neue Wege in der Pflege

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.

Anamnesis

An audiovisual representation of the degenerative dementia process based on real reports from people affected with this condition.

Together alone

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.

Dying to live

Living and Knowing You Are Alive

Novelist and screenwriter Emmanuèle Bernheim and filmmaker Alain Cavalier have been friends for 30 years. They are preparing a film based on the former’s autobiography, “Tout s’est bien passé” (Everything Went Fine). In it, she tells how her father asked her to “end it” in the wake of a heart attack. Cavalier suggests that she plays herself, and that he plays her father. One winter morning, Emmanuèle calls Alain; they will have to postpone the shoot until the spring, as she needs an urgent operation.

Emma and Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey – A Diane Sawyer Special

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.

League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis

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.

The Good Death

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.

Head Games

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.

Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die

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.

Mother

In a village in Thailand, Pomm works in a care center for Europeans with Alzheimer's. While she is separated from her children, she helps Elisabeth during the final stages of her life, as Maya, a new patient, is on her way from Switzerland.

Twelve Nights

Raye’s devastating documentary follows the plight of some 450 dogs brought through a single animal shelter during the winter of 2013. Policy dictates that any animal not adopted within 12 nights will be destroyed. Only around 10% of residents will be so lucky as to survive. As they wait, their time in the shelter is fraught with anguish, disease, and only the slimmest possibility of a better life. Executive produced by novelist and filmmaker Giddens Ko (You Are The Apple Of My Eye).

Alive Inside

Five million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease and dementia—many of them alone in nursing homes. A man with a simple idea discovers that songs embedded deep in memory can ease pain and awaken these fading minds. Joy and life are resuscitated, and our cultural fears over aging are confronted.

Het Doet Zo Zeer

What’s it like to age with early-phase vascular dementia? And how about your loved ones? Successful author Heleen van Royen has taken on caring for her elderly mother and films their frequent meetings. Increasingly, Mrs Breed’s life consists of confusion and unbearable stabbing pains that she tames with a mantra. She regularly refuses help, good advice and a Zimmer frame, although she is also thankful for her committed daughter’s support.

Het Muziekmedicijn

The threat of dementia is affecting more and more people. As they slowly lose their memories and physical abilities, music proves to be a miraculous source of comfort, vitality, and hope. How is it, for example, that people with dementia often remember music longer than their own names?

Fin de vie : pour que tu aies le choix

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.

Ticketyboo

Ticketyboo: a Secret in Plain Sight is an artistic feature documentary exploring the deeply personal struggle of staying connected to a loved one with dementia.

Everybody's Oma

Jason van Genderen makes home videos about his ageing mother ‘Oma’, and accidentally turns her into an internet sensation.

Enquête au cœur de la fin de vie: Mourir n'est pas tuer