Friends House Death Cafe
A write up of Second Sunday Death Cafe Portland, OR
By nomenoyou1
Rosalie facilitated a small table (with Ellen). The conversation moved easily with 2 participants sharing personal experiences with the death of a beloved family; one person who chose not to share (and left at the break) and one support person. The conversations moved around death at work places (hospitals, during Covid, in assisted living and memory care) and the lack of conversation and support for staff and other residents; complicated grief; control and power issues regarding finances and wills; people being "not invited" to funerals due to LGBTQUIA and family issues; how to support people and prepare yourself for death; and joy around care for a loved one in their final months.
The table with Scott and Joan was very lively. There was a nice mix of people experienced with Death Cafe and newer participants. The conversation was often centered around talking to friends and family about their death and making appropriate preparations. Attendees who had experienced deaths and people who did not were equally challenged by those difficult conversations. Everyone offered suggestions and detailed their successes and failures. The conversation felt very supportive. Talking seemed to relax everyone. We discussed a 'good death' and what that may look like. There was a discussion of funeral options. We had an interesting conversation about pets and the loss of companionship. One of our members was from a Latin community in southern California and commented on the differences in the attitudes about death and dying. Wonderful evening.