Can Hearing Aids Reduce the Risk of Dementia? What the Latest Research Shows

Authored by Steve Reinhardt, Audiometrist, Hearing Aid Specialist and Director, Northside Audiology · Published November 2026

Hearing and brain health is making news, and for good reason. The Australian Government is now writing to everyone turning 50 to recommend regular hearing checks as one way to reduce dementia risk. It is natural to wonder what that means for you, and whether hearing aids can help.

For me, this is personal. Helping people hear well for the sake of their brain health is the part of my work I care about most, and it shapes how our whole team at Northside Audiology fits and cares for hearing aids. Here is what the research shows, and what it means for you.

The short answer: They can play a part. Hearing aids will not stop dementia, but research suggests well-fitted hearing aids may help slow some of the decline, and keep your brain stimulated and engaged with the world around you.

How Do Hearing and the Brain Work Together?

Your ears collect sound, and your brain turns it into meaning. Every conversation and every familiar voice is your brain at work, filling in gaps and making sense of it all.

When hearing changes, the brain works harder to keep up. Conversations take more effort, and many people start joining in a little less, which means less stimulation for the brain and fewer of the social moments that keep us mentally active. Some studies have also linked hearing changes to changes in brain structure over time.

What Does the Latest Research Say?

• World Health Organization (2026). New guidelines state that hearing aids may be offered as part of strategies to reduce dementia risk.
• Cell Reports Medicine study (2026). Researchers followed more than 61,000 older adults in 33 countries. Hearing aids that meaningfully improved hearing were linked to a 14 per cent lower risk of dementia.
• Hearing Care Industry Association survey (2025). In a national survey of more than 14,000 Australians, most people waited four to six years before acting on a change in their hearing. Seven in ten hearing aid owners wish they had done it sooner.
• The Lancet Commission (2024). It identified 14 changeable risk factors that together account for around 45 per cent of dementia cases worldwide. Hearing loss in mid and later life is one of the largest.
• The ACHIEVE study (2023). Among older adults at higher risk of cognitive decline, three years of hearing care with hearing aids slowed decline by 48 per cent.

Why Does the Quality of Your Hearing Aid Fitting Matter?

The 2026 study above found the benefit came when hearing aids made a real difference to how well people heard. So the device itself is only part of the story. What makes the difference is how carefully it is chosen, fitted and looked after.

At Northside Audiology, every hearing aid fitting follows the same careful steps:

• A diagnosis first. A comprehensive hearing assessment looks for the reason behind any change in your hearing, and measures how well you understand speech, not just which sounds you can hear.
• A recommendation that follows the diagnosis. With no sales targets, we choose your hearing aids on clinical merit and tell you why.
• A careful fitting, built around understanding. We set up your hearing aids to boost speech, then check how well you follow conversation while wearing them. Our aim is for you to understand speech at normal conversation levels as close as possible to your best.
• Fine-tuning for real life. We adjust your hearing aids for the places you go and the people you talk with most. At our Chatswood clinic, we can even recreate a busy cafe to test them in background noise.
• Ongoing care. A review every six months keeps your hearing aids working at their best as your needs change.

“Hearing aids will not stop dementia, but the research suggests they may help slow some of the decline. To me, an audiogram is a volume gauge. What matters far more is functional hearing: what can a person actually understand? That is where I personally believe hearing and cognition come together.”Steve Reinhardt, Audiometrist, Hearing Aid Specialist and Director, Northside Audiology

Why Choose Northside Audiology for Your Hearing Aid Fitting?

Northside Audiology has been independent for almost 30 years. We are privately owned and a listed member of Independent Audiologists Australia, so our advice is never tied to a brand or a sales target. Our recommendation always follows your diagnosis.

We take the time to get your fitting right and stay with you afterwards, working closely with your GP and ENT specialists so you have one connected team guiding your care.

What Is the Government Letter About?

Since July 2026, the Australian Government has been sending every Australian turning 50 a letter titled Support your health and reduce your dementia risk. It explains that nearly half of dementia cases could be prevented or delayed, and lists six things you can do, including getting regular vision and hearing checks. You can also get a personalised risk score at health.gov.au/dementia.

Receiving the letter does not mean anything is wrong with your hearing. It is simply a positive prompt to check in.

I Have Received a Letter. What Should I Do Next?

The best next step is a hearing assessment, which gives you a clear benchmark of your hearing today.

• Book directly with us. You can book online or call your nearest clinic. You do not need a referral.
• Or see your GP first. Your GP can refer you to Northside Audiology. With a current doctor’s referral, Medicare rebates are available.

The Bottom Line

Looking after your hearing is one of the simplest things you can do for your brain health. Hearing aids will not stop dementia, but when they are carefully chosen, fitted and looked after, they can help keep your brain engaged with the people and sounds you love. That is why we put so much care into every fitting. The best place to start is a hearing assessment, and you can book online or by calling your nearest clinic.

About Northside Audiology

Northside Audiology is an independent, diagnostic hearing practice, and has looked after families across Sydney’s North Shore and the Hills District for almost 30 years. We are privately owned and a listed member of Independent Audiologists Australia.

Book a hearing assessment at our Chatswood, Bella Vista, Neutral Bay or Gladesville clinics. Book online or call your nearest clinic.

SOURCES

Livingston G, et al. Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission. The Lancet, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01296-0

Lin FR, et al. Hearing intervention versus health education control to reduce cognitive decline in older adults with hearing loss in the USA (ACHIEVE): a multicentre, randomised controlled trial. The Lancet, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(23)01406-X

Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. Letter to all Australians turning 50 about dementia risk. July 2026. https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/letter-to-all-australians-turning-50-about-dementia-risk

World Health Organization. Risk reduction of cognitive decline and dementia: WHO guidelines, second edition. July 2026. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240123557

Jiang F, Chen S, et al. Hearing aid effectiveness and probable dementia risk: pooled analysis of 61,089 older adults across 33 countries. Cell Reports Medicine, May 2026. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666379126002193

Hearing Care Industry Association. No time to waste: let’s close the lag from hearing loss to hearing aid access. Based on the Anovum APACTrak Australia 2025 survey. March 2026. https://hcia.com.au/2026/03/no-time-to-waste-lets-close-the-lag-from-hearing-loss-to-hearing-aid-access/