Ulricka Beukman, an experienced social worker who joined Rand Aid in 2019, took over the reins as deputy manager of Tarentaal in January when Laetitia Goosen retired.
After having worked as the village’s social worker over the past five years, she is a familiar face to residents and their families. “My experiences caring for my parents, who lived with dementia, have shaped my understanding of ageing,” Beukman shares. “Working at Tarentaal has further deepened my appreciation for the importance of strong family bonds and a meaningful life.”
Raised in Port Elizabeth, Ulricka’s mom was a hospital matron and her father was in the police service. She studied social work at the University of Stellenbosch and started her career in mental health before focusing on employee assistance programmes within the workplace. During that time, she completed her Honours in Public Administration.
While at Rand Aid, she completed a University of Cape Town diploma in palliative care and a geriatric management diploma through the University of Kennesaw in the USA. She continues to take part in Eden Alternative training in people-centred care.
“I am privileged to be associated with Rand Aid and all our residents and believe that ageing is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been, with a new stage of opportunities and strength.”
Ulricka and husband Barnard, who is the editor of Beeld, have two children. Lidia, who is married and lives in Ireland, and Eduan, who is a candidate attorney at a law firm in Johannesburg. “My family is my hobby and the centre of my being,” she says.
Ulricka Beukman, the deputy manager of Tarentaal.
