Mixing Memories & Meaning: A Culinary Journey at The Hickman
May 7, 2026
Wouldn’t you agree there’s something nostalgic about preparing a meal? Whether it’s the smell of homemade cookies baking in the oven or the familiar feel of dough in your hands as you knead and stretch it for pizza, cooking and baking have a way of renewing long-forgotten memories.
At The Hickman, we believe living a life with dignity starts with independence. So, when Katie Friedman, an Occupational Therapy doctoral student, approached us about creating a culinary program for our Darlington memory care neighborhood, it immediately aligned with who we are. Her goal was to place choice back into the residents’ hands while using skills they had honed over a lifetime — and we were all in.
Our Darlington neighborhood is an established Montessori Inspired Lifestyle® community, an approach to memory care that focuses on what residents can do rather than what they can’t. Katie embraced this philosophy by breaking meal preparation into manageable steps, offering real kitchen tools, and allowing residents to choose their own role in the cooking or baking process.
For example, during a Valentine’s Day cookie activity, some residents chose to spread icing while others focused on decorating. The freedom to participate in meaningful ways created opportunities for connection, creativity, and confidence.
It didn’t take long for Katie to notice how the simple act of cooking encouraged residents to engage with one another and sparked meaningful memories. During a pizza-themed session, residents and staff reminisced about trips to Italy and favorite family meals. An ice cream activity brought back memories of growing up on farms and milking cows.
Over time, Katie also observed noticeable growth in social interaction, motor planning, and independence.
During week two, things were understandably a bit messy. “While decorating Valentine’s Day cookies, more icing was being licked off the knives than spread onto the cookies,” Katie shared with a smile. But by week six, some of those same residents were confidently using knives to spread cream cheese onto tortillas and cutting them into bite-sized pieces with precision. The progress was remarkable.
Ensuring the culinary program remained a lasting resource for residents, staff, and families was especially important to Katie. At the conclusion of her practicum experience, she created a Culinary Cookbook for The Hickman community to use for years to come.
Katie Friedman, an Occupational Therapy doctoral candidate, and resident Alice share a special moment as they finish a culinary activity in our Darlington memory care neighborhood.
“The Culinary Cookbook is both a practical resource and an educational guide for family members, volunteers, students, caregivers, and anyone supporting a person living with dementia,” Katie explained.
The cookbook includes:
- Helpful information for understanding dementia
- Suggestions for caring for someone living with dementia
- Information about the Montessori Lifestyle approach to memory care
- Recipes used throughout the culinary program, along with shared resident and family recipes
Katie hopes the cookbook will not only help continue the culinary program at The Hickman but also inspire others to bring this same sense of joy, purpose, and independence to individuals living with dementia everywhere.
The impact of Katie’s culinary program reached far beyond following recipes. It enhanced residents’ quality of life while creating moments of purpose, confidence, and connection for everyone involved.
“Personally, this experience allowed me to reconnect with meaningful memories of cooking with my own grandparents growing up,” Katie shared. “Professionally, it gave me the opportunity to break down the task of cooking and adapt it in ways that made it accessible and engaging for residents at all levels of ability.”
We don’t know about you, but we can’t wait to see what our residents cook up next.