I'm 50 and deaf - been wearing hearing aids for 45 years now - was born with issues but didn't start wearing them until I started school. I still have my original hearing aid and the other 3 or 4 sets from over the years. My eyes have gone - not looking forward to the natural hearing loss process that age brings.
I can't hear turkeys gobbling unless they are close or deer grunting or ducks talking as they come over so I figure I wouldn't hear elk. Can hear geese often enough to say they are loud.
The advances are excellent - now you can blue tooth into your cell phone, regular phone, TV, stereo, etc. And no-one else hears it. I like that I can use it on the phone - makes a diff to hear the phone in both ears.
They have diff settings where you can have one for noisy, regular, quiet situations and maybe have an ultra-sensitive setting for trying to hear game. All I ever hear on that setting is noise from my clothes. Your provider can let you test different settings.
First & most prominent noise usually wins out with hearing aids but the newer computerized aids have the ability to tell which way you are looking and focus on sounds in that direction as opposed to the bullhorn voiced guy on the other side of the room. It isn't perfect but is much better than what we had 10 yrs ago. They also have settings to recognize things like dishes clattering and will adapt to help you hear better.
They also have remote microphones people can talk into - I have one that's good in stores and places like flea markets where my wife doesn't want to be yelling to get my attention.
Wind is tough - it is hard to wear anything over your ears as the hearing aids often have feedback (whistle) when something gets too close. Everyone hears the feedback when it happens.
I'm gonna make some suggestions:
Based on your hearing loss, get an in the ear or behind the ear hearing aid with a SOLID ear piece. Those open air hearing aids are a joke. My hearing aid guy talked my wife into going open air and they don't help her - the external noises overcome the magnified sounds and then you get the screaming kids & shattering dishes right into your ear drum. If you have a closed system the sound goes thru the hearing aid to get to your ear and the gunshots, screaming kids, and shattering dishes get blocked. (I wear caldwell electronic shooting muffs that allow me to magnify folks talking and block shooting at ranges.)
Shop around - there are a few brands and the salesmen can be commission focused.
Insurance does not often pay for hearing aids like they will for glasses. Be thinking in the $5-6,000 bracket.
Get one that is more powerful than you need, that way you can turn it up as opposed to getting a new one. Figure that your hearing aids should last you 10 yrs or more with minimal care.
Batteries will last between 8 and 16 days.
You either wipe the hearing aid with a tissue when you take it out or you brush it with a toothbrush in the morning to get the wax off. There will be a wax guard that will need cleaning when you notice that you aren't hearing as good - hearing aid will come with a little brush and pick - use that on it and then use a shot or two from a can of air like for dusting your computer keyboard.
Sometimes they feel clammy.
Even when you tell people you are deaf, they still want to mumble, talk and look away, etc.
The aids do not restore hearing to normal, they help just like glasses help. Makes it better.
I say this cause I know a 93 yr old guy who's ears are shot - he had high hopes about 5 yrs ago and was very disappointed he couldn't hear a pin drop again like when he was younger.
Have realistic expectations and you'll enjoy your mostly restored hearing.
Hope this helps.
