Hearing aids may reduce risk of falls, depression and dementia, study says

ANN ARBOR, Michigan (WPVI) -- Hearing aids could reduce the risk of 3 common health problems - falls, dementia, and depression.

A study from the University of Michigan found lower rates of all three among people who got hearing aids within three years of being diagnosed with hearing loss.

Past studies have linked hearing loss to memory problems.

Study leaders urged health insurance companies to boost coverage for the devices, to reduce costs from the other problems.

Only one in eight with hearing loss get hearing aids, even when they have insurance coverage for at least part of the cost