Do I need a POA to handle elderly father’s affairs and how do I get one?

DsefriedL, I just found an article about Power of Attorneys: https://www.agingcare.com/poa-guardianship

A POA is necessary for taking over finances of the elderly. Your father must be cooperative and sign the document. Search this site for articles about POA. The safest way is to use an attorney and the forms used by the state you live in as things can be different in other states.