As my father continues his slow descent into Alzheimer's dementia, some features of the disease strike me as blessings. We go out for lunch and a drive most weekends. He's gradually less able to express himself. However he commonly repeats this soft mantra: "yeah, … yeah, … yeah".
I recognize that repetition as a symptom of the dementia, and it's called "perseveration". I used to make rounds at the nursing homes myself in my younger days. I would often hear patients down the hallway crying out "Help! Help! Help!" Or "No, no, no!" My dad is saying just the opposite.
He is exhibiting the "culture of YES" (a "culture-change" effort at my organization). He always had a positive attitude toward life, and this is his way of expressing it despite the limits of language.