When a confused elderly woman arrives by taxi at a police station, her claim that she had just witnessed a murder sets into motion a serious investigation at the care home from which she had wandered off. When evidence of a violent death emerges, the off-duty Kommissar refuses to accept the sketchy "official report" about a resident's accidental fatal fall and pursues the incident throughout the night.
This episode in the legendary "Polizeiruf 110" series is shining a spotlight on the poor conditions under which many elderly people are cared for in understaffed and underfunded facilities. Whether terminally ill or suffering from dementia, the few nurses and care givers on staff are overwhelmed with the resident work load; even if most staff show true compassion, there is never enough time to adequately care for all residents. People who have spent their lives working and caring for others suddenly find themselves discarded as useless and unimportant.
The scene near the end, where the Kommissar speaks what sounds like a brief eulogy will bring a tear to the viewer's eye, it is extremely moving, and sums up the problematic theme. Although at times difficult to watch, this a far above average production.
This episode in the legendary "Polizeiruf 110" series is shining a spotlight on the poor conditions under which many elderly people are cared for in understaffed and underfunded facilities. Whether terminally ill or suffering from dementia, the few nurses and care givers on staff are overwhelmed with the resident work load; even if most staff show true compassion, there is never enough time to adequately care for all residents. People who have spent their lives working and caring for others suddenly find themselves discarded as useless and unimportant.
The scene near the end, where the Kommissar speaks what sounds like a brief eulogy will bring a tear to the viewer's eye, it is extremely moving, and sums up the problematic theme. Although at times difficult to watch, this a far above average production.
