Death Cafes are scheduled, unstructured events that are open to the public, free to attend, and simply involve people sitting together with light refreshments as they discuss any death-related topics that organically surface at the time of the gathering.
I and my friend Angel have been hosting local Death Cafes since April, 2024, and I thought it may be interesting to make some notes here regarding group size and topics at each event.
April 2024 - 11 participants, including 2 facilitators. Several attendees had Hospice experience and one person worked in the funeral industry. Topics ranged from body-treatment options (burial, cremation, aquamation, green burials, etc.) to trends seen in the funeral industry, to some admittedly dark humor aorund the things kids say following the death of an older relative. Some talk centered on cultural customs as well.
July 2024 - 10 participants, including 2 facilitators. Some attendees had Hospice experience, some were beginning their Hospice volunteer endeavors, one therapist, one previous EMT, two people with no death-related experience at all. Topics ranged from a discussion around if death itself is peaceful, what a death doula is, how important it is to allow pets to have contact with their deceased owner, and the importance of spaces like these to be used by EMTs and other first responders to help them process and decompress.
August 2024 - Notes coming soon.
Sept 2024 - Notes coming soon.
Oct 2024 - Notes coming soon.
Nov 2024 - Notes coming soon.
Dec 2024 - Notes coming soon.
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