is he depressed

I went to visit my brother last Saturday, to take him out for breakfast.  When I came into the nursing home, the receptionist, who also doubles as a part-time activities person, told me that my brother has stopped sitting in the communal activities room and instead sits by the window near the elevator.
 After further investigation, I heard the following story:  it turns out that there was a patient who had a family of six or so visiting her every day.  They would bring food in for the patient and sit in the activities room all day, driving out the higher functional patients, including my brother.  The patient with the family has since left the nursing home.  But the figher functioning patients were disgruntled and found that the activities were boring.  Part of the problem is that several of the higher functioning patients have passed away, and there weren't enough higher functioning patients around to play trivia games, etc.

Eventually the disgruntled patients were enticed back into the activities room and continue to be involved in activities.  That is, except for my brother.

At breakfast, I brought this up.  I mentioned that I was concerned that if he sat by himself all day long and just spaced out, it was going to shorten his life span.  He seemed to listen to that.

On my way out, I suggested to the receptionist/activities person that they ask my brother to play the role of helper in the activities.  He likes to help, he likes the praise, and he likes to feel superior to others.  She said she would raise it with the other workers.

I have been out of town this week for work, but when I get back, I mean to call the main activities person and talk to her about this.

Meanwhile, my brother just doesn't look right.  He has bags under his eyes and is dragging around.  At first I thought this was because he had a bought of congestive heart failure, bowel issues, and then pneumonia, which is enough for anyone not to feel right.  But right now, I am wondering if it's depression.  If necessary, I will ask them to put him on anti-depression drugs, but I think that's a last resort.  There's no way he's going to get therapy at this nursing home, that's for sure though.