Upon witnessing just how much hearing aids can improve a person’s life, Dr. Katarina Vavrovicova set out to pursue a career in audiology.
Growing up in Bratislava, Slovakia, she went on to graduate from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania with a doctoral degree in audiology in 2006. Since then, Vavrovicova has been working with physicians and the medical community in the Vancouver area, all the while gaining extensive experience in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of hearing disorders.
Vavrovicova brings her expertise to the Kerrisdale Community Centre in a few ways, including running hearing screening programs for the last 10 years (photo, below left). As a registered doctor of audiology and hearing instrument practitioner, she also offers educational workshops on hearing loss, hearing health and the latest hearing aid technology.
“It’s very important for people aged 55 and older to have their hearing checked regularly,” says Vavrovicova, who has lived in the Kitsilano neighbourhood for the past 15 years. “Finding hearing loss early can greatly improve your quality of life and help prevent problems like cognitive decline or balance issues.”
Dedicated to making audiology services accessible to all community members, she runs her own Vancouver hearing clinic, Echo Hearing Care, and also works with Helicopters Without Borders (photo, above right) to provide quality hearing care, including hearing aids, to those in need.
But whether she’s helping someone at the centre, at her clinic or in a remote community, Vavrovicova says: “The best part of my job is helping people reconnect with their loved ones and the world through better hearing.”
When not working, she enjoys hiking, reading and spending time with her family.
At press time there were only a few spots left in Dr. Katarina Vavrovicova’s free summer hearing screenings at the centre. But look for more hearing-related programs in our Fall 2024 Guide.
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