Convincing Brief

I was a little frightened when Brett gave us the prompt for our convincing paper. I feel like I had just figured out the inquiry paper and I am not ready to completely change my mode of thinking. I am going to try to get more of a head start with this paper so hopefully I can transition into my persuasive paper more easily. For our convincing paper we have to write a brief which I feel is analogous to the outline from the inquiry paper. I think the hardest part for me will be analyzing my audience just because our audience is so big and diverse I don't know if I can come up with similar beliefs or traditions. I am going to try and I would love any help you could give me.

Audience - students, professors, anyone in the U of M system.

Beliefs

• education is important
• all want to be the best
• pursuit of happiness
• most people go to the dr. when ill
• freedom in general
• most people in U.S. think family is important
• being ill is worse than being healthy

Currently most doctors make decisions about whether Alzheimer's patients should go into a residential care facility or participate in home care. If my audience thinks education is important I would say that patients and their families should receive unbiased information about the options to partake in after one is diagnosed. This way they would learn about each option and be able to make a choice that fits their identities and lives. This would also fit into the pursuit of happiness. It should be up to the patient and family if they want to put the patient into a residential care facility. If the patient doesn't want to go then they shouldn't have to but if that is the only option they are given what else are they supposed to do?

To go along with that it's usually the doctor who recommends either going into a residential care facility or home care. Currently more doctors tend to think putting Alzheimer's patients in residential care facilities as soon as possible is the best for the patient and family. Doctors think this because if the patient is there while they are still functional then they will have time to get used to the place and the routines at the RCF before they get too ill to change routines and to function for themselves. That seems logical but they don't give other options just to put them in a RCF. But most people assume doctors know best so they do what the doctor says.

Since family is important to many people providing home care for a family member with Alzheimer's is usually a valid and option. Home care allows the family to stay involved with the Alzheimer's patients treatments and life. It also allows the Alzheimer's patient to continue with a similar routine as before the diagnosis. Also, when someone is ill the support of family has a huge impact on how the patient copes with their illness. So, more than ever a person who is ill needs the support of their family.

That's as far as I can think. This is hard for me because when reading my inquiry paper I imagined my audience being as doctors not as students and professors of the university. Let me know if you have any ideas or suggestions. Thanks.