paroolSep 27, 2026, 13:06

You have to love the theatricality of Roosen and the linguistic style of Borst, but their hyper-human approach is unique

Adelheid Roosen and Hugo Borst have concluded their documentary series on dementia, which offers a sensitive look at life, illness, and end-of-life decisions. Through intimate conversations with patients like Henk Blanken and their families, the show addresses the emotional complexities of terminal conditions and the search for dignity in the final stages of life.

Adelheid Roosen and Hugo Borst are concluding their long-running documentary series on dementia with a fifth and final season. The show, which explores the profound challenges of life, illness, and the end of existence, features deeply personal interviews with individuals like former journalist Henk Blanken, who lives with Parkinson's disease. The program is recognized for its unique, hyper-human approach to the painful realities of deteriorating health and the complex decisions surrounding euthanasia.

Throughout the series, the creators engage with participants and their loved ones about the emotional toll of terminal illness. One particularly poignant segment follows Jeanette, whose struggle with Parkinson's leads her to seek an end to her life, a decision her family finds difficult to accept. Through discussions with philosopher and physician Bert Keizer, the series underscores the inevitability of death while highlighting the diverse, often difficult, ways that individuals and their families navigate the final stages of a life story.

Culture

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Based on reporting by parool. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.

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