Collingswood's Work in Harmony Cafe Offers Space for End of Life Discussions

Our Wishes Over Dishes, a national movement to bring families together to have a conversation on what family members wishes would be at the end of their lives,is coming to Collingswood.

Work in Harmony Cafe (810 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood) is offering the use of their conference room free of charge one night a week from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for families who want to discuss issues such as advanced directives, wills and burial vs. cremation, among other topics, with their loved ones in a quiet, neutral environment. Planning assistance and resources will be available.

Collingswood restaurants Nunzio’s and Tortilla Press are providing limited menus for families to order from and have delivered to enjoy a meal surrounded by loved ones while having one of the most difficult and important conversations a family can have.

Work in Harmony Café owner Michelle Polidoro is a registered nurse. The idea to host Our Wishes Over Dishes came from years of seeing patients struggle to make end-of-life decisions for sick loved ones. It became a personal matter for her when a family member got sick.

“My family faced this decision last January when my Pop passed away. We made the decision to give him morphine at the end, and for a long time afterwards my mom felt guilty for doing so,” Polidoro said in a statement issued Wednesday morning.. “It is important that people know what their loved ones would want if faced with this same decision or other decisions that need to be made.”

Polidoro was familiar with “Death over Dinner”, a similar national program which aims to make the conversation regarding care in final days more empowering when supported by loved ones. She decided her co-working café gave families an ideal space to plan for end-of-life and enjoy a meal together. She is offering her space for free to families that want to share their wishes.

According to Death Over Dinner statistics:

-How we want to die represents the most important and costly conversation that America isn’t having.

-Nearly 75% of Americans want to die at home, yet only 25% of them do.

-60% of people say that making sure their family is not burdened by tough decisions is “extremely important”; 56% have not communicated their end-of-life wishes.

-Too many people are dying in a way they wouldn’t choose, and too many of their loved ones are left feeling bereaved, guilty, and uncertain.

-The vast majority of bankruptcies are due to end of life expenses.

“Let’s make our community strong by participating in this movement to increase awareness of end-of-life choices and decrease the burden on families and society,” Polidoro said.

To reserve space or get more information,, contact Polidoro at michelle@workinharmonycafe.com or call 856-869-9600.

The attached logo was posted on http://www.workinharmonycafe.com/