Q. As my dad gets older (late 80s), walking is more difficult. It would help him a lot to have a “disability license” so he could park closer to stores, banks, doctors, etc. He’s not really disabled, though. Might he be eligible anyway?

A. Let me share the experience my husband and I had: John was nearing his 90th birthday. He noticed that he was not as steady when he walked as he had been when he was younger. On his farm, he walked with a cane to avoid falls. When he went to town, he just tried to be careful and to use railings whenever there were any available.

I wished that he wouldn’t have to walk so far, and that he had one of those placards for people with a disability. I learned that application forms were available at the County Treasurer’s Office. I’ve since learned that they are also available on the Internet: www.ksrevenue.org /forms-dmv.htm (click on Disabled Placard/Plate Application).

I went to the County Treasurer’s Office to get the application. The person at the desk gave me the application for my husband and explained that we should take it to our doctor who would be the one who actually determined if John needed the special card.

A visit to the doctor came soon. He took John’s blood pressure, listened to his heart and lungs, and asked him to walk across the room. Then he very promptly filled out and signed the form, saying that John certainly did qualify for the disabled status.

We took the form back to the County Treasurer’s office. On the form John had to indicate whether he wanted just the placard to hang from the rearview mirror or if he wanted a “disabled” license plate.

At the Treasurer’s office they explained to us that John could use the card in another car if he were a passenger. However, he was not to lend it to others.

John began to use the specially marked spots. It was so much easier to walk just a few steps instead of a half block. John doesn’t really consider himself “disabled” at 90, but he is finding life much easier with the placard.

The instruction sheet said that according to KSA 8-1,126, “In addition to being eligible to park at marked accessible parking places, disabled persons having a valid disabled plate or placard displayed on or in the vehicle may also park at parking meters for a period of time not to exceed 24 hours and will be exempt from any parking fees of the state, or any city, county or other political subdivision.

A caution: Using another person’s disabled placard is a misdemeanor, punishable by fine.