Just in time for Valentine’s Day, The Senior Soup welcomed Leora Hoffman, the founder and owner of Leora Hoffman Associates LLC, to discuss senior matchmaking and helping couples find meaningful, long-lasting relationships with their partners.  Leora, originally from New York, began her career as an attorney - but when her sister called her to ask her thoughts about working with a matchmaker, Leora decided to use it as the inspiration for her next career.  She wanted to create a matchmaking process in the DMV area that catered to single professionals and, later, older adults. Liora committed to never “do dating” the wrong way, understanding that everyone’s experiences are different and unique. Leora is the author of Catch Me a Catch: Chronicles of a Modern-Day Matchmaker. In her book, Leora discusses dating in later years, and the anxiety couples experience over money and sex. She shares plenty of anecdotes about people struggling with their sex lives and how couples if motivated, can work through the challenges of their relationships. This book is not only for singles searching for love in their senior years but also for couples working on their relationships and learning to understand one another better. Throughout Episode 14, Raquel, Ryan, and Leora discuss Leora’s matchmaking services and her approach to helping older adults find meaningful relationships.  Leora takes a personal approach to each client, beginning with a phone call and then a face-to-face consultation to get to know them and discuss what services she can offer.  Once the client decides to move forward, they complete a psychologically-minded questionnaire and become a member of Leora’s organization. Depending on the membership chosen, Leora is proactive in finding her clients their perfect matches.  Raquel, Ryan, and Leora also discuss: Dating non-negotiables and wishlist attributes. Leora’s matchmaking process focuses on the personal touch; it’s fundamentally different than creating an online dating profile, which is often based on a superficial analysis of a one-page profile and photo. Leora’s matchmaking mission is to help her clients find committed, meaningful relationships and to truly get to know them before matching them. Dispelling the stereotype of matchmakers from reality television. Leora navigates her clients through family dynamics and finding shared values and common interests. And so much more!