From 'AVOID Frailty' to 'The THRIVE Strategy for Lifelong Wellness': Proposing a Positively Framed Health Promotion Framework for Aging Well.

Abstract

The AVOID Frailty framework, developed by the Canadian Frailty Network, promotes five evidence-based behaviors to reduce frailty risk in older adults: physical activity, vaccination, medication optimization, social interaction, and nutrition. Although widely adopted, its deficit-based framing may limit engagement and appeal. This commentary proposes a positively framed alternative, the THRIVE Strategy for Lifelong Wellness, which retains the core behavioral focus of AVOID while adding a sixth pillar, engaging the mind, to reflect evidence on cognitive and emotional well-being in aging. We further recommend shifting from the language of frailty prevention and healthy aging towards lifelong wellness, a more inclusive and empowering concept. Drawing on health communication theory and aging research, we argue that gain-framed messages are more motivating, less stigmatizing, and relevant across the life course. By emphasizing thriving rather than avoiding decline, the THRIVE strategy offers a holistic and potentially more effective framework for promoting sustained well-being across adulthood and later life.