Last Updated on June 9, 2025
Joe Johnston doesn’t believe in slowing down or avoiding risks because of his age.
“I get up in the morning and I’m ready to go,” says Johnston, 80. “If you keep moving, you can keep moving.”
Johnston is more than your average 80-year-old. He’s the best pole vaulter in the world for his age group. The multi-time National Senior Games gold medalist and U.S. Masters Track & Field record holder has plenty of accolades he could boast about. But Johnston doesn’t. Instead, he gives his gold medals away to local children and aspiring pole vaulters and says he continues to keep track & field a major part of his life simply because it is his passion.
“I do it because I can’t think of anything I’d rather do unless it’d be hang gliding or jumping off a mountain in Chamonix, but it’s just fun,” Johnston says.
While giving Growing Bolder a tour of his homemade D.I.Y. pole vaulting facility, a barn he affectionately calls “The Joe Dome”, Johnston couldn’t help but demonstrate the closest thing he could to jumping off a mountain. The 80-year-old athlete climbed to the top of his facility and leaped forward with a front flip, landing in a cushioned mat with a high-pitched laugh.
“This is just so fun,” Johnston said. “But if you stop doing things like this, [the ability to do them] goes away. I keep doing this because I want to keep doing this.”
This message of active longevity has crafted Johnston’s lifestyle.
“You should find something you like to do well enough you want to do it every day, something that involves a little strength, flexibility and some cardio,” Johnston continues. I work out here and, of course I watch what I eat.”
Joe, and his wife Janet, explained the benefits of using a rideshare and delivery service like Uber to maintain their active lifestyle without taking away their precious time and energy.
“Uber fits into this healthy lifestyle because you can choose the healthy foods that you want, you can get them quick, and it doesn’t interfere with anything,” Johnston said while ordering fresh fruits and vegetables through the Uber app.
“When I go to the grocery store, I often get stuff that I really didn’t have on my list. So with Uber, I get what I want, and it’s easier to find things than being in the store,” Janet explained.
“We ordered our lunch today and while lunch was coming, we had a little pole vault session for 30 minutes and had a great time,” Johnston said.
In previous decades, as older adults aged, they often became limited by losing their ability to drive. Now, with Uber, that time is reframed to a positive era of choice. The power is put back into the hands of the older adult, who can choose where they want to be driven to, or what foods and medications they want delivered to their house.
“It has to do with being open-minded,” Janet shared. “I think if you want to stay young, you ought to try out different things and be current and ready to take the adventure, even of ordering food or getting a ride from Uber.”
Many Medicare Advantage flex plans can now be used on Uber rides and deliveries, completely changing the healthcare industry and giving more freedom and autonomy to older adults. Click here to connect your card and find out if you can use your benefits on Uber.
