Actor Rob Lowe, 59, has been completely deaf in his right ear since he was a baby. "The View” host Whoopi Goldberg, 67, says she has to wear hearing aids because of all the loud concerts she went to when she was young. 

They're not alone. One-third of older Americans experience hearing loss, which affects their ability to interact with people, fuels dementia, and contributes to depression.

It also makes driving unsafe and can even increase the risk for falls, according to the National Institute on Aging.

Luckily, quality hearing aids (used daily) can help protect people with hearing loss from declining quality of life.

Nothing demonstrates the remarkable benefits more than a new study in The Lancet. Researchers found that for people ages 70-84 who are already at increased risk for dementia because they have diabetes or cardiovascular disease, for example, the use of hearing aids over a three-year stretch slowed their cognitive decline by 48%.

Starting at age 65, you should have your hearing checked at least once a year. And if you have a chronic condition such as diabetes, start those checkups now whatever your age.

If you have hearing loss, you may benefit from devices that use keyboards, touch screens, or text-to-speech technology to boost your communication with others.

As for hearing aids, they're available by prescription and over the counter.

You can learn more about how to evaluate hearing aids at the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders website at www.nidcd.nih.gov.