At Monday's meeting, they had a specialty death certificate cake. In previous meetings, they’ve had gravestones, skulls and graveyards." />
At Monday's meeting, they had a specialty death certificate cake. In previous meetings, they’ve had gravestones, skulls and graveyards.
The Death Cafe offers treats, drinks, new friends and the opportunity to talk about death.
Every second Monday of the month, the Douglas County Senior Resource Center holds a Death Cafe from 4-5 p.m.
Death Cafe is a social franchise that has spread around the world. It began in 2011 in East London and since then has rapidly expanded. Currently, there are 15,765 Death Cafes in 83 countries, according to the Death Cafe website.
The purpose of the cafes is to create a safe space to discuss death and guide people to appreciate their finite lives, Senior Resource Center Executive Director Megan Poindexter said. There is no schedule or plan, as the cafes emphasize the free flow of ideas and discussion.
Joan Weisshas attended five Death Cafe meetings.
“People can talk about whatever. Once people get talking about it, it just branches off into other avenues,” she said.
The first Death Cafe in Lawrence opened in fall 2022. The Senior Resource Center partnered with the Visiting Nurses Association to make it happen.
Janet Ikenberry, director of health and human services at the resource center, has overseen many Death Cafe meetings and felt their impact.
“As a person who’s been through COVID and came near death, it’s been pretty helpful for me,” Ikenberry said. “It gives people the opportunity to talk about death and what’s on their mind, if it’s about grieving, questions related to preparing estate-wise or preparing green burial.”
Each meeting fosters different conversations, as attendees change and new ideas are shared.
“It does vary every meeting. It could be someone going through an anniversary date, or they had a dream of their loved one, or they’re about to put their loved one on hospice, or people have brought up things like past lives or signs from loved ones,” Weiss said.
Weiss has found the experience interesting and exciting. Other members shared the sentiment, intrigued to open up about death and their own testimonies.
Jane Gnojek attended for the first time Monday.
“I’m getting older, it’s becoming more imminent and it’s a fascination of mine,” Gnojek said,
Another attendee, Dee Boyd, has been to other Death Cafes, but this was her first time in Lawrence.
“I just like the conversations that people have,” Boyd said. ”Everybody just takes turns talking about whatever they want.”
The Death Cafe will meet again from 4-5 p.m. May 8.
Reach reporter Katie Hanney at [email protected].