Hilarity for Charity (HFC), how we adore you! We first met the HFC team at the 2022 spring American Society on Aging Conference. At the time, Artifcts was in the process of competing for funding to study the potential of the Artifcts platform to be used as a screening tool for mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Spoiler: We won! The more we at Artifcts learned about HFC's focus on care for families impacted by Alzheimer’s disease, inspiring the next generation of Alzheimer’s advocates, and advancing brain health research and education, we knew this was an organization we had to find some way, any way, to support.

Today we're honored to lead periodic, free, virtual HFC Caregiver Lounges for two of the groups that HFC supports: caregivers to those with dementia and youth ages 15-25. In all cases, we're seeking to bring people together through a new tool, Artifcting, and the ease, joy, and meaning made possible with each Artifct created.

"I know firsthand the joy that's possible when you simply ask a loved one, "What is this {thing}?" and then give them the space to tell their stories and reminisce about days past," said Ellen Goodwin, cofounder of Artifcts. "It's also remarkable how you can break through those uncomfortable silences and awkward moments between grandparents and grandchildren who are unaccustomed to spending time with each other and can lean into Artifcting as a win-win, meaning time together and capturing stories for always."

Last fall, HFC also invited Artifcts to a private fundraiser event in Austin, Texas, where the guests delighted in what Artifcts has built and is now doing within the brain health community. One guest remarked, "Imagine if all for-profit companies built with the vision AND the heart of Artifcts? It would be a different world, a better world." 

Yes, Artifcts may be a young startup, but we have a vision that means transforming all of our relationships with 'stuff' and each other, one Artifct at a time. It's about meaningful connection meeting the practical realities of life: We collect a lot of stuff, and we need to know what it is, why it matters, and what we'll do it with it next. 

We appreciate the humor and truth behind this quote from Lauren Miller Rogen, "Everyone with a brain is at risk for dementia." Begin Artifcting today. Begin learning more about brain health today. Follow along with Artifcts (IG: TheArtiLife) and HFC (@WeAreHFC) for tips and events from Artifcts and HFC!

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© 2024 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

Artifcts® has partnered with Susan G. Komen®, the world’s leading breast cancer organization, to support its ongoing cross-sectional work in research, community health, global outreach and public policy to find the cures for breast cancer.

“There’s nothing like a breast cancer diagnosis to clarify your focus and guide you to ask, “How can I help?” said Artifcts co-founder Ellen Goodwin. 

“I knew I was lucky in catching my cancer early. But that’s not the only way in which I’m lucky. I also have access to excellent healthcare services, health insurance, an amazing network of friends, family and survivors, and let’s be true to the data, I’m lucky too because I am white. Black women in the U.S. are more than 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than white woman.”

According to experts, about one-third of breast cancer deaths could be prevented if everyone received the breast cancer treatments that exists today. For this, and many other reasons, Artifcts is proud to support Susan G. Komen’s efforts.

Artifcts’ partnership with Susan G. Komen includes a commitment to support the organization’s fundraising efforts. Beginning today (through March 15, 2025), Artifcts will donate to Susan G. Komen® $23.80 of the purchase price for each Artifcts Unlimited Membership sold here and $9.00 of each Artifcts Lite Membership sold. Artifcts will make a guaranteed minimum donation of $2,500 to Komen. We’ll also strive to raise funds through community walks and other initiatives nationwide. 

Join us today to help support the cure. Purchase or gift an Artifcts membership!

For more information on Susan G. Komen's mission to save lives by addressing critical community needs and advancing research to prevent and cure breast cancer, or to donate, please visit komen.org.

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© 2024 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

TheGerontechnologist™ is an online media platform that covers the global age tech ecosystem and offers online courses and education. It was created by Keren Etkin, gerontologist, entrepreneur and author of The AgeTech Revolution.

Etkin's background and ongoing research, entrepreneurship, and advising of startups in the AgeTech space means she has a unqiue vantage point from which to view the shifting landscape of AgeTech and the sister concept of LongeviTech. TheGerontechnologist™ map focuses on:

• • • Startups that develop technology to tackle the challenges of aging and serve older adults and/ or family caregivers and/or elder care organizations
    • Startups that are venture-capital backed or have a commercially available product

This year Artifcts was featured in the TheGerontechnologist™ AgeTech Market Map within the category of Legacy.

"When the latest TheGerontechnologist™ map came out and everyone dug into the trends, it was painful to realize on the one hand the amazing innovation emerging and on the other how damning current market conditions are for the survival of AgeTech companies. Some call it the 'Great Extinction,'" said Artifcts co-founder and CEO Heather Nickerson. "We've persevered and made amazing in-roads in 2023 to provide key services and benefits to Artifcts members across legacy, planning, insurance, and even brain health. We're grateful to be featured."

Download your own copy of the map and explore the companies featured. We all need support, whether as caregivers or direct beneficiaries of the featured products and services. You might discover the solution meant for you and your lifestyle, life milestone, and life changes!

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© 2024 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

When "friends" come calling, you show up! In this case, when the National Aging in Place Council (NAIPC) decided to publish a follow-on to its original book, "Aging In Place Conversations," focusing this time on "difficult" conversations, the co-founders of Artifcts got in line to contribute.

"Almost every conversation we have with a member of the community is difficult in one way or another. We at Artifcts are sitting at the intersection of all of life's transitions, into adulthood, parenthood, phases of careers, the exciting "golden years," and of course end of life and loss. Channeling our learnings to help others, that's another reward to the work we do," said Heather Nickerson, Co-founder and CEO of Artifcts.

The book includes contributions from nearly 30 authors with expertise and credentials spanning senior living, universal design and engineering, gerontology, real estate, finance, orthopedics, and beyond. The book launched at #1 on Amazon this weekend in four categories: Geriatrics, Nursing Home Care, Aging, Medical Conditions & Diseases, and Family Health. You can purchase your copy through Amazon.com by clicking either of the images below.

"Single-stop resources from trusted experts to point you in the right direction and make you feel less alone in emotionally and financially taxing scenarios are what we all want on our bookshelves. We're grateful to NAIPC, all the authors, and the other collaborators who brought this important work to life," said Ellen Goodwin, Co-founder of Artifcts.

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

This week Artifcts Co-founder and CEO Heather Nickerson appeared on the podcast series Art of Aging, hosted by Michael Hughes and presented by United Church Homes. Each week the Art of Aging podcast explores what it means to age in America and in other places around the world with positive and empowering conversations that challenge, encourage, and inspire all to age with abundance.

During the episode, Mike and Heather discussed the concept of Swedish death cleaning, including defining the term, curbing misconceptions, exploring the emotional connection individuals have with certain possessions, how Swedish Death cleaning helps tell the story of possessions, and more.

We encourage you to listen in and refresh your perspective on 'stuff' at every age.

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Today the founders of Artifcts appeared at MIT University's The Engine with eight other finalists to pitch their proposal for brain health research in partnership with UMass Chan Medical School. It's our great honor to announce that MeHI awarded Artifcts a $50,000 grant to complete its pilot research proposal. Read the official MeHI press release here. The research subject: Brain Health. And our aim: To confirm the feasibility of using Artifcts as an early screening tool for mild cognitive impairment and dementia. 

"People do not want to talk about brain health. It's terrifying to imagine life without healthy cognitive function. So you can understand why so many avoid even getting tested. And this testing is not yet a standard preventive health care practice." said Artifcts Co-founder and CEO Heather Nickerson.

The Artifcts team views this research as an important "and" for Artifcts, not a pivot. Co-founder and CSO Ellen Goodwin emphasized, "We've built Artifcts as a way of life, enjoyed by people 16 to 97 who create and share Artifcts every day. Now we'll investigate if we can play a role in dementia, a collection of diseases that affects more than 50 million people worldwide."

Artifcts, along with two others awardees, is a member of the AgeTech Collaborative from AARP. Read more from AARP on the MeHI Healthy Aging Sandbox Challenge.

From here, Artifcts will work with UMass Medical on a several-month process that will include study design and application to the Institutional Review Board (IRB), responsible for protecting the welfare, rights, and privacy of human subjects, for approval to proceed. With IRB approval, Artifcts will then recruit study participants. Interested in participating or know someone who may be? Follow Artifcts on social media and subscribe to the newsletter so you stay apprised of developments!

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.