It is definitely not to late. I learned how to play the organ in my early twenties for 2 1/2 years then just stopped playing. Picked it up agin at 54. Interest, attitude and talent is more important then age.
I learned to read music, but still very weak in reading bass clef. I accidentally taught myself to play by ear. I wanted to learn to play songs I heard at my church, but could only find the words and chords on the web. So tried to play by ear, now this is the only way I play. I only need the chords in front of me to play the songs I now. I find that I play better without the music then with it.
I sometimes place the leading notes as a superscript above the chords, then I now what the starting notes are, and then I'm playing. Now I need to accidentally teach myself to play chords by ear.
Scott "the Piano Guy" Houston says that people can play the piano, what they have problems with is transcribing the notes from music sheets. Once you know what notes to play, playing the keybaord is easy. Trying to figure out what the notes on the sheet music represent is a challenge.
I would also recommend what Gary suggested: to learn chords. Just learn the chords you need to play the song you want to play. Use an inversion with the least amount of hand/finger movement. Use full fingered mode. I can play most songs without ever looking at my left hand.
Starkeeper