The National Association of Social Workers Illinois Chapter announced this month that it is recognizing Wilmette resident Carol Goldbaum with its 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of her career in social work. Goldbaum, 73, spoke recently about her career, what she’d like people to know about social work, and more.
Q: How long have you lived in Wilmette?
A: I came to the area when I went to Northwestern for my undergrad degree and I fell in love with it. I’ve lived her for 43 years, raised two kids in the village.
Q: What drew you to social work?
A: I’ve always been concerned and interested in other people and how to help people improve their lives. My mother was a teacher and although my father was a businessman, he was also involved in the settlement house movement in Cincinnati, where I grew up.
Q: What was your reaction upon learning you’d been given a lifetime achievement award?
A: I’m thrilled and pleased that my colleagues thought to give it to me. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my career. I actually haven’t stopped, so my lifetime (in social work) is continuing.
Q: What are you focusing on now?
A: I have a private practice. I’m also training other social workers and psychologists, and lay people too, through workshops. As I’ve grown older, I’ve allowed my career to follow my own life and I am focusing on seniors.
Q: What would you like people to know about your profession?
A: It’s rewarding no matter what aspect you go into – and there are many, many aspects – because you have a chance to impact others’ lives, while improving your own. It’s an opportunity to empower people to be their own advocates.
Q: Do you have a cause or charity you’d like people to know about?
A: A group that provides support for older adults and family members who care for them is The North Shore Village. (www.northshore-village.org It’s located in Evanston, and serves Evanston, Wilmette, Glenview and neighboring communities.
Q: Finally, do you have a book or movie that you could recommend to people?
A: We were talking last night about “Still Alice,” both the book and the movie. And a fun series on Netflix is “Grace and Frankie.” It has a lot of laughs, but a lot of things go on, things about starting a new, different kind of life.
–Kathy Routliffe, Pioneer Press
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Twitter: @pioneer_kathy
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