In 1966, Timothy Leary got it wrong when he said, “Turn on, tune in, drop out.” In fact, research from the UK's University of Exeter and King's College London clearly shows that when you turn on a hearing aid and tune in to what's going on around you, you don't drop out.

Quite the opposite happens. You strengthen your connection to the outside world and protect your brainpower.

Those researchers conducted the online study PROJECT, involving more than 25,000 people ages 50 and older. It showed that getting a hearing aid as soon as you start to lose acuity is an important way to reduce your risk of dementia.

Those who needed to and used a hearing aid were able to demonstrate a stronger working memory, were able to concentrate and pay attention more closely, and had faster reaction times.

It makes sense. After all, if you can more easily figure out what's being said, you can remember it and respond to it more quickly.

The problem is that hearing aids are not covered by Medicare (or most insurance plans), and they can be expensive.

The solution? Talk to your audiologist about which hearing aid is best for you, and then start shopping. Consumer Reports’ website has an extensive section covering almost every hearing aid out there, along with information on how to find your best price.

Hearing aids can run from $140 to $1,900 or more. So depending on what you need and what you can (or want to) afford, there's bound to be something out there for you.