Nice to Meet You, Carmen!

Each newsletter issue, we will interview one of our team members from IDHHC. This issue, we’d like to introduce you to Carmen Sarich, our Audiologist in Nanaimo.

Where were you born/ raised?

I was born in Terrace, BC and lived there until I was 14 when my family moved to Victoria. I was living in Victoria until I moved to Nanaimo in the summer of 2021. I’m still often in Victoria to visit my family and to work at the IDHHC Victoria office. My older brother and lots of my extended family live in Terrace, and our family still owns the cabin I grew up in on Lakelse Lake just outside of Terrace so I love to get back home for a visit when I can.

What has been your past work history?

I was a lifeguard, swimming instructor and water fit instructor at the Esquimalt Recreation Centre throughout high school and University. Since becoming an audiologist, I worked in a private hearing aid clinic for a year before joining the team at IDHHC.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I enjoy helping people – I like to see people’s world open up as they are able to interact with their family and friends after getting their hearing aids. Ease of communication improves one’s quality of life and after receiving hearing aids, many people become more confident with their communication which is amazing to see.

What do you find most challenging about your work?

When we are limited by technology and the tools and devices at our disposal. This means we have to get creative and think of different ways to support individuals that may not benefit as much as they would like from hearing aids. This can involve coaching individuals to approach communication in a different way than what they may be used to. For some individuals that are receiving hearing aids after many years of not having any and not hearing well it can be difficult for them to differentiate between what is speech and what is noise. I work with each client individually because what is important for one individual to hear will be very different for another client.

Where are some of the places that you have travelled to?

On a high school fieldtrip, I travelled to the Netherlands, Belgium and France visiting many war memorial sites and attending the Vimy Ridge 100 year anniversary. I took a semester off in university and backpacked for a month with my brother to Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador and then did two months solo along the east coast of Australia. I’ve also been to Cuba and Hawaii.

What is something we’d be surprised to learn about you?

I have a minor in Slavic Studies and studied Russian at UVic.

What is your favourite meal?

My mom’s salmon casserole!!

What are some of your hobbies?

I love dancing and have taken ballet, hip hop and jazz since I was 8. I am currently taking flamenco and ballroom classes.

If the plane was leaving tonight, where would it be taking you?

Morocco