Learning from nature: a journey into wild medicinal herbs for older adults

The project leader, Narodno učilište Rijeka, carried out the piloting of the Home Herbal Pharmacy program in June 2024. 12 people over the age of 54 participated in the pilot program.

Pilot participants were given the opportunity to learn about the medicinal properties and benefits of wild medicinal herbs through theoretical, field and practical classes.

This education enabled the participants to gain knowledge about wild medicinal herbs, their specificities, benefits and effects on health during the theoretical part of the program. After completing the theoretical classes, the participants set off to explore Rijeka’s city parks, where they realized that even in the city there are small green oases with so many different medicinal herbs available to them. After two trips to the city parks, the participants travelled to beautiful peninsula Istria, where they explored green meadows and found more of nature’s most precious treasures. As a part of the fieldwork, the participants learned to recognize wild medicinal herbs, how to harvest them with care for nature and the environment, with an emphasis on how important it really is to preserve the balance of plant habitats. Through shared walks, laughter, meaningful conversations and time well spent, our participants respectfully gathered just the right amount of herbs—always mindful of the natural balance of the environment. In the days that followed, they used these carefully picked plants to create medicinal preparations in our pharmaceutical laboratory.

The enthusiasm and interest of the participants exceeded all our expectations – even more people applied than we could accept for the pilot program. This clearly tells us that older adults are interested in learning, taking care of their health, and using natural resources with an emphasis on preserving the environment and raising ecological awareness.

Finally, the best thing for us at Narodno učilište Rijeka was to hear that our participants felt seen and appreciated – because the program was designed just for them, with topics that they find interesting, useful, and fun. We believe that they will be happy to share the knowledge they have gained with their family members and friends.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the pilot program organized by Narodno učilište Rijeka and contributed to the successful implementation of our project. We look forward to our future encounters!