Hearing Aids and Dementia: What the 61.6% Really Means

Hearing aids can make a big difference. They can make conversations easier, help you stay connected, and improve quality of life.

But you may also hear another reason to buy them: hearing aids might protect you from dementia.

There's some legitimate science behind that idea. But there's also a lesson here for consumers:

Don't let a real study become a sales pitch.

Where did the 61.6% come from?

The ACHIEVE trial was a large randomized study involving 977 adults ages 70–84 with hearing loss.

Participants received either hearing intervention, including hearing aids and hearing care, or health education.

When everyone was looked at together, hearing intervention did not significantly slow cognitive decline over three years.

But the participants came from two different groups.

238 were already part of a long-running heart-health study called ARIC. They were older and had more risk factors for cognitive decline.

The other 739 were healthier volunteers recruited from the community.

The researchers had planned this comparison in advance. Among the ARIC participants, hearing intervention was associated with 48% slower cognitive decline. Among the healthier volunteers, there was no significant cognitive benefit.

That finding led researchers to look more closely at risk.

The number everyone quotes

In a later secondary analysis of the ACHIEVE trial, researchers used information from 2,692 people in the ARIC study to build a model for predicting cognitive decline.

They then applied that model to the 977 ACHIEVE participants.

Among the 25% predicted to have the highest risk of cognitive decline, those receiving hearing intervention had a 61.6% slower rate of cognitive decline over three years than the control group.

That's an interesting finding—but it needs context.

It does not mean hearing aids reduce your chance of dementia by 61.6%.

It does not mean 61.6% fewer people develop Alzheimer's.

And no hearing-aid store test can tell you that you're in the study's highest-risk 25%.

It's a promising lead from a secondary analysis of a trial whose overall result was not significant—not proof that hearing aids prevent dementia for everyone.

How a true number can become misleading

This is where the Watchdog part matters.

A 2020 study examined the websites of 16 leading hearing-aid brands. Six made causal claims suggesting that hearing aids or treating hearing loss could prevent or delay dementia. The websites were examined in 2019, so this is historical evidence, not a claim about what every company says today.

And here's a current example.

A June 2026 article on Beltone's website cites the 61.6% finding and describes it as a slower rate of cognitive decline among people receiving hearing intervention. The same passage does not explain that the 61.6% result came specifically from the highest-risk 25% of ACHIEVE participants.

We're not saying that makes the statement false.

We're saying something simpler:

The qualifier matters.

If you're about to spend thousands of dollars, you deserve the whole number—not just the most impressive part of it.

How not to overpay for a hearing aid

There's another reason to be careful: hearing aids can be expensive, and you have choices.

In a 2026 survey of more than 1,100 hearing-aid purchasers, HearingTracker found an average price of about $502 per pair for over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, compared with about $3,432 for prescription hearing aids. Traditional clinics without insurance averaged about $4,727 per pair, while Costco averaged about $1,674. Prices vary widely, but the point is simple: $5,000 isn't automatically the price of “a hearing aid.”

OTC hearing aids are intended for adults with perceived mild-to-moderate hearing loss. More significant or complicated hearing loss may call for professional evaluation and fitting.

And remember: Original Medicare does not cover hearing aids. Some Medicare Advantage plans offer hearing benefits, so check your specific plan before paying out of pocket.

Before you buy:

• Get an independent hearing evaluation. Ideally, have your hearing tested by a licensed professional who isn't paid based on whether you buy a hearing aid from them.
• Compare prices. Ask what the total price includes: the devices, fitting, follow-up visits, adjustments, repairs and warranties.
• Ask about OTC options. If your hearing loss is mild to moderate, they may be worth considering.
• Know the return policy before you sign. In California, hearing aids come with a 45-day warranty period under state law, beginning with initial delivery. If the aid isn't initially fit for your needs, the seller must adjust or replace it or promptly refund the total amount paid. A seller can offer a longer period. Get the dates and terms in writing.
• Don't buy today just because someone says the price is good today. A hearing aid is a major purchase. Take the information home, compare alternatives and think about it.

The bottom line

Hearing aids are proven to help people hear better.

The evidence that they prevent dementia is much less certain.

The 61.6% finding is real. But it applies to a particular high-risk group in a secondary analysis—not to everyone who walks into a hearing-aid store.

And there's no good reason to scare someone into spending thousands of dollars by making the evidence sound stronger than it is.

If you need hearing aids, buy them because better hearing can improve your life.

And if someone uses the 61.6% number to persuade you to buy, ask:

“What exactly did that 61.6% mean—and what did the study actually find?”

That's not being difficult.

That's being a smart consumer.

The Watchdog Takeaway

Hearing aids can be worth every penny when you need them. But don't let a real research finding become a reason to overspend. If someone uses the 61.6% number to sell you a hearing aid, ask for the whole story.