Hearing loss is the third most common chronic disease affecting the elderly population, with approximately 30% of patients ≥65 years of age having varying degrees of hearing problems; those with hearing problems are more likely to have depressive symptoms and social problems. Recently, some studies have suggested that cognitive function may be worse in patients with hearing loss, but there is a lack of long-term follow-up cohort studies to confirm this correlation, and no studies have evaluated the impact of hearing assistive device use on cognitive function. In this regard, Amieva et al. from France conducted a study to assess the association between hearing loss, hearing assistive device use, and cognitive decline. The study showed that hearing loss was significantly associated with faster cognitive decline and that hearing assistive devices helped to delay cognitive decline, and the results were published in a recent issue of J Am Geriatr Soc. The study was a prospective, population-based study with data from the QUID study, a cohort study conducted between 1989 and 1990. A total of 3670 elderly subjects aged ≥65 years were included in the study. At baseline, patient-rated hearing loss questionnaires were used to identify the subjects’ hearing loss. 137 subjects reported severe hearing loss, 1139 subjects reported moderate hearing problems (difficulty talking when multiple people were talking at the same time or in the presence of noise), and 2394 subjects had no hearing problems. Cognitive decline was assessed using the Simple Mental Status Examination (MMSE). All subjects were followed up for 25 years to observe the cognitive function of the patients. The results of the study found that subjects’ self-rated hearing loss was associated with lower MMSE scores at baseline and also with more severe cognitive decline during the 25-year follow-up; these correlations were independent of factors such as age, gender, and educational attainment. Subjects who did not use hearing assistive devices had significantly different values for change in MMSE scores over the 25-year follow-up period compared to healthy controls; in contrast, subjects who used hearing assistive devices did not have significantly different values for change in MMSE scores over the 25-year follow-up period compared to healthy controls. The study concluded that self-rated hearing loss in the elderly population is associated with an accelerated rate of cognitive decline, and that the use of hearing assistive devices helps to slow the rate of cognitive decline. This study emphasizes the importance of recognizing and managing hearing problems in the elderly population and that aural rehabilitation therapy can be one of the effective ways to improve cognitive function in the elderly population.