The Darker Side of Ageing: Towards an Ethics of Suffering that Emphasises the Primacy of Witnessing

Abstract Many older adults succeed in finding meaning life, even deep old age. There is, however, a minority of adults, particular among the oldest old, who feel that life no longer makes sense: they suffer from consequences age, explicated feelings loneliness, social isolation and disconnectedness, fears for (further) decline dependency. This article seeks to address this darker side ageing. It discusses probing questions including: what can we learn stories those severely struggle with age? And how might these guide us ways – both as fellow human beings society face respond suffering To achieve this, first briefly outlines scholarship on explores idea Secondly, drawing empirical work, it reflects phenomenological question: is like What does mean live sense worth living? Then, thirdly, building insights, aim work towards developing an ethics emphasises primacy witnessing. argued confrontation manifestations meaninglessness cannot be solved or remedied, need bystanders are willing name, narrate, give voice connect experiences suffering.