These do not strike me as pearls of wisdom, but rather as testimony of these persons’ failure to transcend the outcomes of their own limiting beliefs. We all have these self doubts and self loathing beliefs, which create a “ what’s wrong” mindset. If we take those into our old age, including dementia, they can be defining and confining. If we can recognize the inherent falsehood in our limiting beliefs and be “cured” of their power, we can know that we have always done the best that we could and have no need for regrets. Besides, all we really have is what’s happening right now. As Ram Dass said, be here now.