Anonymous wrote:You could talk to their primary care doctor about this issue and see if he/she will suggest a placard to your father. That generation takes such advice much better from a medical professional.

Exactly right. OP, if there's any way to contact their doctor without your folks knowing you did so (because dad will resist the idea if he sees you behind it), then do so. Ask the doc not to wait until their next visit. Maybe the doctor's office can make a call along the lines of "We're checking in with our list of patients who use braces or canes and so on, and wanted to send you information about how to get a handicapped placard for your car." That would be a good thing for any doctor's office to do anyway!

Yes, to your dad this does sum up his loss of independence and he's stubbornly sticking to the idea that HE can make it across that parking lot. He really may need to hear this from his doctor, or maybe someone in his own generation -- do you have any uncles or aunts who are elderly and have placards, whom you could get to talk with him? (Again--I wouldn't advertise the fact you've asked for that talk.)

OP, if your parents are in the 80s and have trouble walking through an icy parking lot, they probably shouldn't be driving through an icy parking lot either. Their eyesight may be fine, but their reflexes probably aren't.

Either way, they're probably afraid that requesting a handicapped parking tag is some kind of acknowledgement of diminished capacity and the first step toward the loss of their independence. Having BTDT, I'd strongly suggest visiting your father's doctor with him to discuss the issue. I know how complicated and awkward this can be. But this is one of those issues that it's far better to catch early than too late.

He's an adult and can understand consequences. Let it be.

You could talk to their primary care doctor about this issue and see if he/she will suggest a placard to your father. That generation takes such advice much better from a medical professional.

My parents are in their 80s. They're eyes are fine and their driver licenses are up-to-date.

My mom walks with a cane and my dad has a knee brace. He refuses to look into a handicap parking tag out of sheer stubbornness. They live in a northern state and get pretty bad winters. He'll drop my mom at the door then will walk across an icy parking lot. If he breaks a hip, he'll end up in a nursing home.

I want to convince them to think about this now b/c I know it will take him as many months to actually get one. Anyone else successfully have this conversation with their parents?