ARLINGTON, Va. (7News) — Starting to look for a partner after the age of 50 can be a huge challenge.

It’s the second week for Golden Bachelorette Joan Vassos in her search for new love. The journey will not be easy for the 61-year-old from Rockville, Maryland.

7News anchor Victoria Sanchez spoke with a professor at George Washington University’s (GWU) Center for Aging about the best ways to date in your golden years. Melissa Batchelor, a bachelorette herself, navigated the sea of ​​apps and even hired a dating coach.

SEE ALSO |Insight into DC 911’s intensive emergency call center hiring process

“That’s what I call real research, right?” she said to Sanchez, laughing.

The 52-year-old said that dating in your golden years is not for the faint of heart and recommended setting realistic expectations when taking your first steps into the dating market.

“It’s just a completely different world than when I was 20,” Batchelor said.

Take at least 30 minutes a day to go through online profiles and weed out those you don’t want to court.

If you are just beginning this process after years of marriage or single life, learn the slang.

“It’s a whole different landscape. So what does ‘ghosting’, ‘catfishing’, you know, ‘bread crumbing’ mean,” she explained.

Beware of romance scams. Prince George’s County told 7News there were 19 reported scams and it is expected to be a record year for this type of crime.

“People should just be aware that they should never send money,” Batchelor said.

Tell the truth and be skeptical.

“Personally, I think you should be honest about your age when you sign up. Because if you lie in your profile, there’s a good chance you’ll lie about other things too.”

“That’s another thing, older people usually have a past, family and things like that,” Sanchez said.

“Yes, as you get older you have a more complex past, you have a longer history, you have grown-up children, you have grandchildren, and you also have to deal with health issues, chronic conditions and things that affect your health and your ability to travel and enjoy leisure time. So there has to be alignment on many different levels than when you were younger,” Batchelor added.

A study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that if you think positively about getting older, you can extend your life by more than seven years.

“What we think about aging actually matters.”

These years could mean being happily married or single for longer.

SEE ALSO |Parents concerned about guidelines regarding hateful acts involving Montgomery County students