I understand them perfectly, I understand that they don't understand the extent of their hope, and that they need help.

( he doesn't understand feelings! and a few other things, but that's because he hasn't been given the chance to, so he goes his life making up what others need around him by his own rules. the sad part is that he can't help them all the time, he can only hold their hand for a moment... or he gets irritated with carrying through the entirety. )

Not that I remember. ( easy excuse, he has dementia anyway, but can he fiddle with the desk drawers, what's in there? )

If they did, you could have just said so, but you didn't... so that makes you special compared to them, what else makes you different?