Dorothy Smith says she joined Nifty Needles, a weekly sewing circle at Sequoia Place Elderly Housing in Ann Arbor , because \"I wanted to be busy -- it\'s something to keep my mind busy.\" What Smith, 72, says strikes a chord with senior citizens and gerontologists alike. Research shows that crafts keep the mind sharp and that doing them in groups promotes socialization, a key component of warding off isolation among seniors. Dr. Peter Lichtenberg, director of the Institute of Gerontology at Wayne State University , agrees. To help, the institute is hosting an Art of Aging Successfully conference later this month. \"Good health and well-being are promoted by engagement,\" Lichtenberg says. \"People have to be active with things they have a passion for.\"