Thank you for this article. When I was a social worker in a dialysis center, my favorite part of the job was listening to people who were stuck there for three hours a day, three days per week. Many of them were older, no longer working and they wanted to tell me about their lives. I learned so much from them. Some began writing their memoirs and would bring me a chapter to read and discuss. Of course I ended up doing my paperwork in the weekends to catch up. My point here is that often people want their lives to be witnessed, they want reflection. You are right, activities are not the only answer.