figure 15.1 On the rise The population of people age 65 and older in the United States has increased 14-fold since the beginning of the twentieth century. The percentage of elderly people in the population increased from 4 percent in 1900 to 13 percent in 2010. It is currently 13.6 percent and is expected to be more than 20 percent in 2030. (Information from: CDC, 2014; NCHS, 2014; U.S. Census Bureau, 2012; Cummings & Coffey, 2011; Edelstein et al., 2008.)