Tineke Schouten rents apartment in senior complex De Trappenberg
Tineke Schouten has traded the quiet of a detached home in Almere for a split-living arrangement that spans the coast and the central Netherlands. The 72-year-old comedian recently purchased an apartment in Noordwijk, but the demands of her professional career have forced her to also rent a unit in a senior housing complex, De Trappenberg, located in Huizen.
The Logistical Reality of a Packed Schedule
For Schouten, the dual arrangement is a pragmatic necessity rather than a lifestyle choice. "I often have to be in the middle of the country for my work," she told Weekend. "That is why I also rent an apartment in a senior complex, De Trappenberg in Huizen. That is much easier than traveling back and forth from Noordwijk."
Life Between Unfinished Rooms
This transition has brought a lack of stability to her daily routine. Both flats are also not completely furnished yet, the lamps are not hung and that kind of fuss, so I don’t have much peace." While she is accustomed to a busy and cluttered routine, managing these logistics alone has intensified the challenge.
Finding Community in De Trappenberg
De Trappenberg offers a wooded setting for outdoor walks, though Schouten notes the atmosphere can feel surreal. She told Weekend that the environment occasionally resembles the Dutch television series Hendrik Groen, which is set in a care home.
Reframing the Senior Complex Demographic
Despite the complex’s designation, the population is not exclusively elderly. When asked if she felt too young for such a residence, the 72-year-old entertainer was pragmatic. "Well, I’m 72, time goes on, right? But fortunately there are also younger people here! My neighbors, two nice guys, are 55, and my neighbor across the street just turned 60. This is in principle a senior complex, but you are also allowed to be a bit younger."