8-month résumé gap, advice? - 8 months and counting

I took time out to care for a family member after working as a bookkeeper. This is my first time dealing with any of this. I am not sure how much to explain. What do you say in interviews?

I listed the volunteering and course under the same dates and kept the explanation to a sentence in the cover letter.

I was hired after a 8-month gap. The manager said the skills test mattered more than the dates.