The aim of this chapter is to introduce the concept of well-being and to work towards a way of using the concept to assess the impact of supported housing on the lives of individuals. The starting point for this discussion is a review of some perspectives on the nature of present society, which some have labelled as postmodern or late modern. Writers in this tradition emphasise the individualisation of life and the importance of the pursuit of individual identity and lifestyle in an increasingly risky and unequal world. The argument is that the construction of our self-identity has become an important life project that reflects our status in society and impacts on our happiness and health. Our identity is reflected in our lifestyle, which consists of the activities and practices that we undertake in our daily lives, including how we spend our time and our money. The two concepts of identity and lifestyle are central to the analysis of supported housing in this book and so are considered in some detail, as they lead to a focus on difference in perceptions and ways of living that are crucial to the understanding of the impact of supported housing on individuals, who may have very different preferences and subjective perceptions.

Identities and lifestyles are influenced by the discourses that shape them and are shaped by them. When related to categories of people such as older people, or others considered here, the categorical discourses shape understanding of the way that people are expected to live their lives and encapsulate societal norms that comprise the socially constructed reality of life. These discourses influence the forms that policies and provision for the different groups take and so are crucial to the understanding of the reasons for the development of specific forms of supported accommodation and their impact on residents. Each of the chapters (Chapters Six, Seven and Eight) that consider provision for particular groups of people will therefore start with a discussion of these categorical discourses and their impact.

The concepts of identity and lifestyle are also important because they lead into a discussion of the concepts of happiness and well-being which are the main focus of the book.