Vulnerability is an important concept in nursing and nursing ethics. Vulnerability and ageing have generally been associated with frailty, which gives a limited view of both vulnerability and ageing.

The aim of this study was to illuminate the meaning of vulnerability to older persons themselves.

A qualitative design based on interpretive description was adopted. The data were collected by interviews that were analysed by qualitative content analysis as interplay between analysis, interpretation and meaning construction.

In total, 14 older persons aged 70–96 years were interviewed, 2 men and 12 women. Some of the participants lived in their own homes, some in service houses and some in nursing homes.

The ethical principles of informed consent, confidentiality and non-identification were respected.

The core meaning was a deeper sense of vulnerability as you grow old. This was expressed in six themes: Being easily harmed, Becoming an old person, Being an old person in society, Reactions when being violated and hurt, Protection and Vulnerability as strength.

The themes include frailty and threats to the dignity of older persons and also capacity to feel and develop. The results showed that although the frailty perspective dominated, vulnerability also had positive meanings for the older persons.