How do I handle a long gap on my résumé?

My résumé shows a gap from a layoff and some health issues. I would rather hear the honest version than the polite one. I have done some volunteering and a course during that time. How did you handle it on your résumé?

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

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it 12 months ago, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.