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Hello @DrB ;
Let’s start with a simple reality. There are many guitar players, including professionals, who DO NOT play barre chords. There are several options.
The first and most obvious it to avoid barre chord heavy keys like “Bm” (it’s really the minor mode of the key of D). The minor mode of the key of C is Am, Dm and Em, none of which are barre chords. Is it limiting? Well, look at the songs of Tom Petty. His songs are usually not that hard, but he still found ways to make unique and interesting sounding chord progressions.
And you have several keys without any barre chord in the 1, 4, 5 progression. G, C, D; D, G, A; A, D, E.
Now, more options open up when you learn the partial chord shapes, the most common being the mini barre F. There are an awful lot of guitar players that use that and never make the full barre F. You just use the high 4 strings like the D chord. All of the barre chords can be played using a partial shape rather than all 5 or 6 strings.
If you’re older and have arthritis are you going to improve? Maybe, but there is a good chance you will never do well with barre chords. That is not important.
There are 2 things that are all important in guitar:
1) Have Fun
2) Do What You Can
Ok, 3 things.
3) Have Fun.
That’s the exhaustive list of what’s important in guitar.
MG 😀