Final days full of life – Hospice stories | DW Documentary
Here, death is ever-present. In hospices, carers and volunteers provide end-of-life support to people who are seriously ill and dying. Their goal is for people to be able to experiences their final weeks and days with dignity, as free from fear as possible.
Paul Buchholz has been working at a hospice in Rostock, a city in northern Germany, for 15 years. With kindness and respect, he tries to make his guests’ last weeks or days as carefree and pleasant as possible. Ralf Löwenhagen has worked in agriculture for most of his life. He never went to the doctor, never complained, always worked hard. Now he has pancreatic cancer and is receiving palliative care. During therapy sessions in the garden, or when nurse Paul Buchholz pushes him outside on the terrace, his mood visibly improves.
In Bernstorf, a good hour’s drive from Rostock, entrepreneur Wolfgang Röhr has converted an old castle into a hospice. In memory of his wife, who lost her battle with cancer. The hospice has been Carolin Kumpe’s home for many months. She’s at risk of suffocating due to an autoimmune disease. Whenever she feels strong enough, she spends time at her favorite spot by the castle pond.
The non-profit organisation Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB) helps people in difficult life situations. Since 2014, it has been fulfilling last heartfelt wishes with its “Wünschewagen” (‘Wish Ambulance’) project. Volunteers accompany seriously ill people to a place that means a lot to them. Today’s guest wants to visit the penguins at the zoo and laugh once more at their antics.
A compassionate film that alleviates fears and shows how full life can be, even in hospice care.
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Video “Final days full of life – Hospice stories | DW Documentary” was uploaded on 02/01/2026 by DW Documentary Youtube channel.