Can an iPad be too old to update?

Certainly! Here's a possible description simulating the tone of a questioner: "Hey, folks! I've been using my trusty iPad for years now, and it's still chugging along pretty well. But lately, I've been noticing that I can't seem to update to the latest version of iOS. It keeps telling me that my device is too old. Is this for real? Can an iPad really be too old to update? I mean, it still works fine for most of my needs. What gives? Is there anything I can do to get around this update restriction? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!