Balance class to help prevent falls by elderly people 8 April 2013 Last updated at 07:49 Falling over can be a frightening experience for anyone, but for an elderly person it could lead to a loss of confidence and isolation. To help people affected, a course has been put on for older people who have had a fall to help improve their balance, strength and confidence. The 32-week course is being run by Gwynedd council at Pwllheli. The programme includes marching on the spot, chair-based techniques and bicep curls using exercise bands. Clare Horton, senior physiotherapist at Tywyn Hospital said: "With falls you measure confidence. When an older person falls they are less likely to go out, less likely to go for walks, so it's a self-perpetuating circle. Confidence is a big issue, and we find that really improves. She said falls often lead to broken wrists. Persistent falling can lead to more serious problems though, putting additional strain on an NHS trying to cope with an ageing population. "Wrists are often the early warning," she said. We have to look at why they have fallen, to try and prevent it happening again, because often the second fracture is a hip. The prediction of the number of hip fractures the NHS will have to deal with in the next 20 years is just a graph that goes up and up. Emma Quaeck, Gwynedd's exercise referral co-ordinator who runs the class said: "It's basically aimed at people who have either had a fall or have a fear of falling. If people become scared of falling they become a lot more tense so they can be more prone to falling. Classes are to improve strength and balance. Ms Quaeck said the main aim of the weekly classes was to improve confidence. "People get an awful lot of confidence when they get fitter," she said. People taking part in the class are encouraged to become more active. "We do a bit of endurance to get them fitter - marching on the spot, moving round the room in a circle to get the heart rate up a bit," explained Ms Quaeck. A lot of people who have done this couldn't believe how much further they could get if they were running to a bus stop, just because their cardio-vascular system had improved. People get an awful lot of confidence when they get fitter. It's all about quality of life and generally they feel a lot happier. Among those taking the class was Betty Gray, 83, from Llithfaen. "I joined the class because I had been told by my physio that it would be good for me," she said. I have fallen twice recently and its making me very concerned about it happening again and me really hurting myself. Meanwhile 83-year-old Donald Jeffery from Morfa Nefyn added: "I have a fear of falling and joined the class to help improve my balance." Siw Wood, 78 from Llithfaen explained: "I felt that it was important for me to join the class as I have had four falls in the past which has made me very weary of falling again."