Is dry skin bound to get drier as you get older?

I've had dry skin since I was young, so I've always struggled with tightness and dryness. I've tried applying whatever lotions and creams I could get my hands on, but nothing has improved. It seems like the dryness keeps getting worse as I get older. I heard that washing too often or too vigorously makes it drier, so I don't double cleanse and use shower gel minimally, yet my skin is always dry. Now, I'm actually dreading the weather getting cooler. I'm worried about how much this dryness will torment me. My heels already feel hard, and my palms feel like tree bark. Is it really just going to get worse and not improve? I'm curious how people with extremely dry skin manage theirs.