As a newcomer to the annual "best of" list from Family Tree, premiering in the category of "genealogy tech tools," the publisher said Artifcts is "worthy of royal recognition" among the “crown jewels” of online family history. We'll take it! 

For those of you who may also be new to the world of genealogy, this honor is a surprise for the recipients. Family Tree's team undertakes its own, super-secret research before launching the news.

"These are the delightful surprises that mean so much to a startup. We are very deeply honored by this recognition," said co-founder and CEO Heather Nickerson. "We want to ensure it's as easy and fun as possible to take a look a fresh look at all the 'stuff,' from family heirlooms to genealogy gems, and capture the family histories and moments in a way that will engage the whole family across generations."

"What she said! We congratulate all of the honorees and look forward to getting to know more of them. Please go and explore them all. There's something for everyone," said co-founder and CSO Ellen Goodwin.

Family Tree's 101 Best Genealogy websites are organized into the following categories. Dive in!

• • Best "Big" Genealogy Websites
  • Best Family Tree and Sharing Websites
  • Best US and Canadian Genealogy Websites
  • Best Genealogy News Websites and Blogs
  • Best Genealogy Tech Tools (including Artifcts!)
  • Best Genetic Genealogy Websites
  • Best Cemetery Websites
  • Best African American Genealogy Websites
  • Best Geography and Historical Map Websites
  • Best Military Records Websites
  • Best Historical Newspaper Websites
  • Best Genealogy Websites for Asia and the Pacific
  • Best European Genealogy Websites
  • Best UK and Irish Websites

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

In the post-COVID pandemic era, we all tend to look at what it means to be and stay connected from a whole new lens. Today we're proud to announce that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) has recognized Artifcts with an award for "helping promote social engagement to improve individual's health and sense of well-being."

"We are honored by this recognition from HHSC and delighted to see other friends from the AgeTech space among the award recipients. We're grateful, too, to learn of other award recipients who we have not yet crossed paths with. Time to cross paths!" said Austin-based co-founder of Artifcts Ellen Goodwin. 

The {Name}Tech space that intersects with the desires and needs of the oldest among us is expanding at an astonishing clip. News coverage, accelerators, and even investors covering AgeTech and LongeviTech are becoming much more common. And what's still more interesting are the crossovers of those areas into InsurTech, FinTech, and PropTech, to name a few. Hubs of innovation are being spurred and supported from AARP AgeTech Collaborative (based in DC), Fintech for Longevity (based in Israel), Aging 2.0 (globally), AgeTech Atlanta, and more. Harmonizing it all are the entrepreneurs and their collective interest in building something better than what we're facing now as seniors, as caregivers, and even the youngest among us.

"While we did not launch Artifcts when we did because of the pandemic, it certainly shifted how we launched Artifcts. It sharpened our focus and our realism - we knew that to build a product that would truly change our relationships with stuff and the joys, value, and burden stuff can carry with it, we had to do it with people of all age in mind, but especially the oldest among us. Time is never our friend. How do we make it easier to connect and share with peers and across generations, while keeping privacy at the forefront? That's at the heart of Artifcts." said Artifcts co-founder Heather Nickerson.

And should you be tempted to dismiss the power of connection, don't do it. As highlighted by Dr. Vivek Murthy, US Surgeon General, in his advisory report issued earlier this month, loneliness and isolation put us at greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. Dr. Murthy calls on everyone to tackle this epidemic of loneliness and isolation: "Start now, in our own lives, strengthening our connections and relationships."

Look for Artifcts to continue efforts to expand its footprint in Texas communities as well as other local ecosystems, including through its participation in the MeHI Healthy Aging Challenge.

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

AgeWise Colorado brings together resources to help people to age well in Colorado. Unsurprising, political state boundaries have little bearing on the relevance of the thoughtful guidance and advice the partners of AgeWise Colorado share in the organization's regular webinar series. From solo aging to nutrition at every age to the latest in tech, AgeWise Colorado helps you stay abreast of the latest so you can make transformative, knowledgeable, and informed choices as you live your best life.

Cue story-sharing, in its many forms and purposes. Enjoy the show!

If you skip the video, here's what you missed!

Leading off the discussion was Lisa Culhane, a guided autobiography instructor and life coach. It can be intimidating and frustrating for some just to get started with their stories. What's my objective? Where to begin? How much detail? Lisa is herself an author and believes writing your stories is the key to discovering the lessons and wisdom you want to carry forward into your third act. It’s why she is passionate about supporting people in finding, writing, and sharing their unique stories. 

Artifcts co-founder Ellen Goodwin offered insights into how the simplest and most ordinary of objects are powerful inspirational sources for story-telling and story-sharing. Artifcts is the means through which you can ensure those stories are actually captured along with the photos, video, and audio to help bring them to life and give them fuller context. "You'd be surprised how the most reluctant storytellers or interviewees will open up when you grab an object and ask the simple question, 'What is this?'" Of course, Ellen pointed out, you then have the huge benefits Artifcts offers to share that story or use your Artifcts for other purposes, such as estate and financial planning, insurance support, and more.

Closing the discussion was Maggie Gannon, an advanced practice nurse and founder and CEO of Haven—keeper of life stories and magic moments of the heart. Haven is an all-in-one, under one roof space for legacy preservation. Haven aims to make it easy to preserve your story and grow closer together with loved ones now, while helping everyone stay connected to your memory after death.

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Lori La Bey, founder of Alzheimer's Speaks, brings people to her "radio show" who are in the trenches, working to make a difference for those who have dementia as well as the caregivers to those with dementia. Lori is also the co-founder of sister site Dementia Map, which supports you and your family and/or business with free educational resources, a guide to service providers across 150 categories, and a growing collection of local memory cafes, searchable by state. (You can read more about Artifcts and how to get started in the Dementia Map blog, too!)

The cofounders of Artifcts, along with the executive director of the National Aging in Place Council, joined Lori to talk very directly about all our stuff and how Artifcts helps you to transform the stuff we collect and accumulate in life from a burden today—dust it, store it, move it!—and on future generations, who must wrestle with what to do with it all when it outlives us! Artifcts is here for your entire "village," no matter age or life stage. 

Enjoy the replay!

And before you go, check out Lori Le Bay's new book, Betty the Bald Chicken: Lessons on How to Care. Inspired by Lori’s journey caring for her mother, who lived 30 years with Alzheimer's disease, this endearing book explores hard topics and the tough feelings that go with them. 

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

If you've been following along here at Artifcts, you know that Artifcting to support downsizing and decluttering as well as building those intergenerational bonds are very much a part of our ethos. So you can imagine how at home the founders of Artifcts found themselves when chatting recently with Marty Stevens-Heebner on her podcast How to Move Your Mom™ (and still be on speaking terms afterward). Stevens-Heebner's podcast features top experts as well as older adults and family members who’ve lived through it all in the search for answers to the questions most people don’t know to ask and explore the possibilities, complexities, and potential of later life.

Our discussion was wide ranging! Here are a few themes that guided our discussion:

• • Where you can preserve and share the history behind your personal treasures for generations to come
  • Why documenting your most important possessions with younger family members can bridge the generational gap and create closer relationships
  • The surprising crossover between Artifcts and insurance. Make sure you have the proper coverage. File claims faster and easier.
  • How sharing these memories makes it much easier to let items go when you’re downsizing.

Catch the preview here or jump in and enjoy the full podcast now by clicking the image below! 

And if you get curious as you listen, here are two of the Artifcts we mentioned in the discussion:

• • Asolo Hiking Boots, from @Heather
  • Mystery Ring From My Grandfather, from @Egoody

In the words of Stevens-Heebner, "What objects are traveling through your history with you?" We'd love to share your story at Artifcts. Contact Editor@Artifcts.com.

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Consider gifting the mom in your life Artifcts. Imagine all those "I never knew that about you!" moments that await.

© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Artifcts was honored to be invited by Nancy Griffin, of the Glowing Older podcast, to chat about the purpose and realities of starting a consumer tech company that can support more meaningful and connected living. Co-founder and Chief Solutions Officer Ellen Goodwin spoke with Griffin about creating Artifcts to preserve history while protecting privacy, and how the founders strive to grow Artifcts into a household name for all generations.

Key Takeaways, according to Glowing Older:

• Artifcts will be adopting biometric options because they found members have difficulty remembering their passwords, so they write them down. (Please don't do that!)
• To be a trusted site for privacy and security, there is a padlock on sensitive information so certain fields are impossible to share in error. Read more about privacy and security at Artifcts >
• Artifcts’ diversity of functionality appealed to AARP Innovation Labs. Members can create stories with text, photos, audio, and video and then connect with others.

Listen to the podcast on Glowing Older now by clicking on the image below!

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ABOUT GLOWING OLDER

Hospitality and wellness expert Nancy Griffin interviews a diverse cohort of entrepreneurs, authors, corporate executives, experience providers, and agetech developers, all around the theme of senior living and aging well. Learn more >

© 2022 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.