I have a neighbour (early 80th), a 10 minute walk, who has lost both legs just above the knee as a result of diabetes. He has at least two families with grand children not far away. About a year ago his wife asked me to visit him once in awhile to chat. I have made an hour long visit every month or so for the part 10 or 12 months. I do all the talking while he continues with whatever he is doing such as preparing vegetables for dinner, though he does answer my questions. I have taken books for him to read and tried to discuss them, but I don’t think he has ever read one of them. He and his wife were born in Portugal. During my last visit some Portuguese friends arrived and for the next half hour they spoke only Portuguese and ignored me altogether.
Am I just a nuisance? My wife (agnostic) says I am only doing this to gain ‘Brownie points’. How do I decide whether to stop?

My friend/neighbour died of a heart attack on Christmas day.
May his soul rest in peace.

... His wife saw something in you that she thought could help her husband. Your service to him was, at a minimum, being present in his life.

My wife and I have discussions related to problem people ... the takers who always take and never give. We have come to believe that we do things for them because they are things we want to do, and that we should expect absolutely nothing in return. We are seldom disappointed.

So, IMHO, you visited because you wanted to ... and whatever you provided your friend, whether acknowledged or not, was the right thing for you to do. His life was a little better.

Good on you.